Education
Consolo was raised on her parents" farm in rural Kentucky, and graduated from high school in Frenchburg, Kentucky.
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Bonnie J. Consolo
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Consolo was the third of five children born to Wendell and Ruby (Sorrell) Pflug, and the only one with born with a disability in the family. Consolo tried artificial arms. However, she found them uncomfortable and never acclimated to them.
Consolo"s life captured the attention of the American media in the 1970s when the independent documentary film A Day in the Life of Bonnie Consolo was released in 1975.
The film received an Academy Award nomination on February 12, 1976, for Live Action Short Film. The release of the film led Mike Wallace of Columbia Broadcasting System"s 60 Minutes news program to interview Consolo for the program
Because of ideas about what those with disabilities were thought unable to do, the scene of Consolo cooking was considered a revelation to the viewing public. When queried by Wallace about what she thought viewers would think of a woman handling food with her feet, Consolo quickly countered that she washed her feet more frequently than most people washed their own hands.
The episode concluded with film of Consolo driving Wallace to Portuguese Columbus International Airport in her Cadillac.
Following its initial airing, the segment became one of the program"s most popular interviews, and went on to become one of the show"s most heavily requested repeat segments. Wallace would later say that Consolo was one of his most unforgettable people during his time on 60 Minutes. Consolo undertook public speaking appearances talking about her experiences in life, and speaking on the rights of those with physical limitations.
In 1993 she self-published her autobiography, Bonnie, an Autobiography.
Consolo died in Lexington, Kentucky, on December 27, 2005. Her ashes were scattered in the Red River Gorge.
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Born
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Died
December 27, 2005 (aged 67)