Despite a limited, degrading and frightening life, Petey possessed an irrepressible happiness' Initi

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Despite a limited, degrading and frightening
life, Petey possessed an irrepressible happiness.
Initially, I was merely curious how anyone could
exist locked inside their body. After meeting the
real-life Petey, however, I became entranced by
the depth of his perceptions and 
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THE CREATION OF PETEY . . by Ben Mikaelsen
During a chance conversation at a Montana barn
dance, I first heard of Petey Corbin (his real
name was Clyde Cothern). I found that in 1922,
Petey Corbin was born with cerebral palsy. Though
mentally acute, his affliction left him locked
inside a grotesque and twisted body unable to
communicate. He was misdiagnosed with idiot-stage
retardation and committed to the Montana Insane
Asylum. 
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appreciations-considering he came from the
time-warp isolation of an insane ward. I
discovered that for fifty-five years Petey had
been befriended by a slightly retarded,
clubfooted boy.
The two had developed a close, life-long
bond-becoming islands of hope for each other in a
chaotic, insane world. Their close relationship
was severed in 1973 when modern institutional
reform discharged them to different locations.
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When I decided to write Petey, people came from
every conceivable source to help me piece
together the haunting jigsaw. Slowly I gleaned a
rough and astonished comprehension of Petey's
life. My main concern writing this book was that
I might be digging up ghosts of a past best left
buried. These concerns were swept aside by a
flood of gratifying events.
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I fictionalized the story first for liability
reasons. Also, I could never pretend to know all
that happened. For brevity, I combined the more
important aspects of several people into single
characters. Fictionalizing gave me license in
reconstructing much of the dialogue and events. I
let research and Petey's recollections guide my
efforts. The story of Petey is 90 a true story.
I have tried to remain true to the spirit of the
real life Petey, Clyde Cothern. I hope each word
helps convey the triumph, hope, and joy this
special man found in life. Clyde Cothern did
become my real life Grandpa Petey.
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Clyde Cothern reunited with his life- long friend.