Who Was Randy Anderson?
 Randy Anderson was born in Edmonton on September 25, 1951, and died suddenly on January 9, 2000 at the age of 48. Although his death certificate read “heart attack” his family and close friends know that the real cause of his premature death was dyslexia.
Randy was a fun-loving, hard-working, proud man with a secret. Early in grade seven, a school psychiatrist told his mother that Randy was on the brink of a nervous breakdown and it would be best if he quit school. Randy only completed a grade six education. When people asked him about his education he would say, “I have half my grade twelve.”
It wasn’t until Randy was an adult that he and his family understood what his learning problem was – he had dyslexia. When dyslexia was discussed in the popular media it was obvious to all of us, Randy had all the common symptoms.
But Randy had become adept at coping in society and had been covering up his symptoms for years. No one knew about his dyslexia except his family and closest friends, and he wanted to keep it that way. Randy was very smart, and he could manage situations to ensure others never found out his secret. But the stress took its toll on his physical health.
Randy was a very skilled woodworker and made his living as a carpenter, doing framing and finishing carpentry for many years. Later, he developed expertise in specialized construction for the oil field and pipeline industry. He managed a crew that poured concrete bases for pipeline pumping stations. It is precise work that requires all bolts to be placed with perfect precision so that when the crane lowers the pump onto its base, the nuts on the bolts simply can be tightened.
Randy dreamed of being able to work in the city and be home more with his family. He was offered senior positions with the companies he worked for, but those jobs were in the office, and that meant paperwork. So, he’d laugh and say, “Me, a pencil pusher? No way, I like being in the field, doing real work.” He had to keep his secret. What might people think of a person in a senior position with a grade six education?
Randy died too soon. He left behind a wife, two children, brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, many friends, and co-workers who really cared about him.
It is a tragedy that Randy wasn’t able to fulfill his potential, that he lived with the stress of keeping his secret every day, and that he died far too soon, all because he hadn’t achieved literacy. His life is proof that illiteracy is more than an inconvenience – it can be deadly.
In his memory, we have created the Randy Anderson Learning Foundation to work with young adults, aged 16 to 24 with learning disabilities, to help them achieve literacy so that they can fulfill their potential and live out their dreams with pride and confidence. If you believe in what we are doing, please join us. |
Edmonton Public School Board, Centre High and The Learning Disability Association of Alberta – to develop The Omega Literacy Program and conduct a pilot project at Centre High.
