What are the horrors of Willowbrook?
They were left unattended, naked or in rags. Some were strapped in beds or chairs; others were left to rock endlessly on filthy, locked wards. Exposure of these conditions led to a landmark 1975 federal court settlement in which New York agreed to move Willowbrook’s residents into small group homes.
Why is it important to remember Willowbrook?
It was the largest mental institution in the United States, and host to some of the country’s most deplorable living conditions. The first the American public heard of the horrors of Willowbrook was from a speech made by a promising young politician.
Why did parents send their children to Willowbrook?
The horrors endured at the Willowbrook State School will never be forgotten. Built for developmentally disabled children and adults in the 1930s, the school became an institution where the borough’s most vulnerable residents were abused, starved and neglected – the opposite of its intent.
What does Willowbrook look like now?
Nearly 34 years after the closure of Willowbrook State School, the former campus is now home to the College of Staten Island, operated by the City University of New York (CUNY), which opened its doors on the site in 1993.
What happened to Geraldo Rivera?
Geraldo Rivera broke down in tears Tuesday on an episode of Fox Nation ‘s “Deep Dive” as he recalled the sickening neglect and abuse he exposed at New York’s Willowbrook State School back in 1972.
What did Wilkins say to me at the Willowbrook?
I said out loud, but to nobody in particular, ‘My God, they’re children.’ Wilkins looked at me and said, ‘Welcome to Willowbrook’. This is the original Willowbrook documentary aired on Eyewitness News that spurred protests, investigations, and ultimately, over a decade later, the closing of the Willowbrook Institution.
What is the Willowbrook documentary?
This is the original Willowbrook documentary aired on Eyewitness News that spurred protests, investigations, and ultimately, over a decade later, the closing of the Willowbrook Institution. Geraldo won a Peabody Award for this documentary, and it continues to be studied in colleges and universities across the country.
What did Geralt Rivera say about the school in 1972?
“The doctor had warned me that it would be bad,” Rivera said at the beginning of his 1972 broadcast report. “It was horrible.” More than four decades later, he says he’s still impacted by the conditions he saw inside the school.