Judy Heumann, a renowned activist who helped secure legislation protecting the rights of disabled people, has died at age 75. The news of her passing on Saturday in Washington, D.C., was shared on her website and social media accounts. Heumann, who lost her ability to walk at age 2 after contracting polio, has been called the mother of the disability rights movement for her longtime advocacy on behalf of disabled people through protests and legal action. She lobbied for legislation that eventually led to the the Americans with Disabilities Act, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the Rehabilitation Act. She served as the assistant secretary of the U.S. Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services from 1993 to 2001.
