At some point in our lives, we meet someone who changes us forever. For Tom Anderson, that individual was Dennis Rasmussen, a fellow community member of the Green Bay area. Rasmussen had an intellectual disability but was able to thrive due to his persistence, community support, and encouragement from his many friends. After Rasmussen passed away in 2010, Anderson felt a calling to share his story with the hopes of conveying lessons in advocacy, compassion, and inclusion. Thus, Anderson’s book Somebody Should Tell the Story was born.
The book details Rasmussen’s life through interviews and stories from those who knew him throughout his 68 years of life. Anderson sought to highlight Dennis’ intense love for sports, as seen through his community involvement and even his role with the Green Bay Packers football team. Anderson acknowledges that he talked with between fifty and seventy people to get a full picture of Rasmussen’s life. This communication with family and friends of Dennis has allowed many people to reconnect after years apart—just another way Rasmussen was able to bring communities together.
Anderson provides insight into not only Dennis’ life and accomplishments but also the early history of education for special needs and intellectually disabled children in Green Bay. “Many did not know how the education of special needs or intellectually disabled children started in the Green Bay area,” Anderson shares.
Anderson emphasizes that empowering others through community actions is a universal principle that applies to all people.
Discover how Dennis Rasmussen overcame the adversity he faced and inspired countless others by reading Somebody Should Tell the Story today.
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