Varsity Mart improves textbook buyback
When Melissa Benson met Collin Kremeier through friends, neither one knew that they were each born with a physical handicap.
Benson, a senior studying athletic training, was born in a small Minnesota town of about 500 people.
Benson went to school, played sports and did everything else her friends were doing, except Benson did this with a physical handicap.
“ I was born with only three fingers on my left hand and two fingers on my right hand, which has no elbow, only a wrist,” Benson said.
Benson said the news of her handicap came as a surprise to her parents because the doctors didn’t see anything wrong in the ultrasounds and weren’t sure why it happened.
Benson said the biggest challenges for her growing up were zipping her coat, tying her shoes and using a scissors.
“ Growing up was normal to me because that’s all I know,” Benson said. “Things like writing came naturally to me because I’ve never known anything different.”
Benson said she was very active in high school and played basketball, softball and played the trumpet in the band.
“ I would catch the ball with my left hand, put my glove under my right arm and then throw the ball with my left hand,” Benson said. “I also batted with my left hand as well.”
Upon coming to NDSU, Benson said the hardest challenge she’s faced is learning how to tape athlete’s ankles.
She said she also works at Menards as a cashier.
“ Handling money wasn’t too bad,” Benson said. “I had to learn to get change out though and that was a little more difficult.”
Benson met her fiancée Collin Kremeier, a senior in mass communication, through mutual friends when they were freshmen.
Kremeier was born with an eye condition called ocular albinism.