About Me — Victoria Ponte

Introduction

Photo of Victoria Ponte: Adam Leone photography

I started writing on Medium.com in 2017 by publishing an essay contest entry about what my life was like after I became disabled in 1999 by a severe stroke during the sixth month of my second pregnancy. I did not win the contest for writers with disabilities, but the process jump-started my writing journey.

I have enjoyed engaging with other writers on the platform. It has been fun to earn a little money in the process, too. I mostly write stories to entertain, inform, inspire and amuse people.

I draw on my experiences as a woman who was disabled at age 35 eight weeks before my son was born. My older son was not quite two years old when I had the stroke. My sons are now 21 and 23 years old. I consider them to be my greatest accomplishments.

The baby I was expecting at the time of the stroke has become a professional photographer and took the photo of me you see at the beginning of this story.

I started riding in an adaptive horseback riding program a year after I became disabled. I went on to win many ribbons in their annual horse shows.

Photo of me competing in a horse show: Adam Leone photography

I graduated from NYU in 1985 with a degree in marketing. I sold banking automation equipment in my first job. I went on to become marketing manager for a small software company which was the first place that ever paid me to write. I wrote product support materials, as well as all of their sales and advertising material.

I was married a year after I finished college. My husband was unwilling to continue to live with my disability and moved out 16 years after I had the stroke.

I have gone on to have romantic adventures in the years since, some of which I have written about.

I have recently developed a love of writing poetry. Just this year, I self published a short collection of poems on Amazon. I also self published an inspiring collection of essays as an episodic memoir.

In addition to writing and horseback riding, I love to read, travel and swim at the lake house I share with my estranged husband.

This is my most- read story I have published to date:

Still The Best Advice I Got From a Therapist

Here is one of my poems:

Drama

Here are some of the stories I wrote about dating with a disability:

I Am Not That Kind of Girl; This Is Why

I Virtually Love You

Eat, Play, Leave

Thank you for reading about me!