Troy Fripps, Philadelphia
Member Since June 2010
Artist Statement Picture
Troy Fripps
Philadelphia
Disabled artist & Graphic Designer
A native of philadelphia, Troy graduated from Martin Luther King H.S. in 1980, with a B average in food & nutritution. But a month before troy was too, graduate, troy got very sick, with his chronic asthma, and was rushed to the emergencey room, where he was treated and admitted, because they were unabled to releave his asthma. Troy stayed in the hospital, for 7 weeks, it seemed like months. After troy was released from the hospital, a few day's later, troy, graduated. After graduation, a week later troy was on a hunt for a jobs. Troy couldn't, just have one job, like a normal human being. Troy took on countless jobs, everything from, mobile disjockey, promoter, break dance manager. In the summer of 95, troy went the school, too become an security officer & professional body guard. After school troy worked as an short order cook, dishwasher, and some times the head cook. He also, at time's did the food preparation. Troy also did demolishion work durning the winter months, and was an freelance photographer on the weekends. He became an recording artist in 87, with his group The Masters Of Sound for 2 years. After the long roller coaster ride, he took on many job's at the food center, and the junk mail center, just too name a few. He also passed out flyers too, and he was a supervisor at a greeting card plant, in northeast philadelphia, for 2 years. In 90 he relocated to balitmore city for 6 years where continue his work as an live in personal body guard, and security officer, until he was forced to quit. His mother could take much more of him, doing armed security, and protecting famous people, she thought, either he was going to kill, or he was going to kill, some one. So he got tired of his mother nagging him about this, so he quit, and came back after 6 long years, and took a job at UPS in 96. But in 97, UPS, went on strike, so he was forced to take a job at a movie theater as an usher & door man. Troy worked at the movie theater until it got on his nerves, so he quit, once the strike was over, troy returned back to his job at ups as an package handler & sorter. A few years later, while at UPS, troy gave 2 successful fashion shows, that featured most of his designs. Troy remained at UPS until 2004, when he was force to take an early retirement because of injury, to his back, shoulders, hip, neck, and knees, and his chronic asthma, which, at times, is very servere, and life threating for troy. His lawyer, told him, he should sue ups, and apply for ssi & ssd. So troy did just that, and now troy recieves a government check every month for his injuries, and his very bad asthma. In 2005, troy's pain got the best of him, so troy, try too take his own life 3 times, which landed him in a mental hospital for 7 months. A techician that worked at the faclity, talked to troy, and told him, that with his talents, he could go to the top of the world, so the techician gave troy the bible, and told him too read it. So troy did just that, and in a few weeks, troy was using his talents, too win awards, and gifts. Troy was now a star in the hospital, winning award after award. He also did the design work on a pumpkin, for halloween, which he took second prize. Once troy was giving the ok, to leave the hospital, troy was out of there. When I came home from the hospital, I had to make one of the biggest adjustments of my life; what to do with the rest of my life now that I was home. For the first 2 years dealing with my disability was not easy. I had to form a new relationship, had to get used to and going to work at night any more. Having caretakers around, and make my day's meaningful. My friend's recommended me getting back in my music and art. My initial reaction was "How am I going to use a computer, with my bad shoulder. So what I did was, I started using my left hand to do most of the designing, it took much longer, but I started too turn out fine arts of work. Over
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