Joe Brown, 28, inspired his Carolina classmates, loved the Tar Heels and never gave up
Posted Oct 28, 2018
Joe Brown pressed a button, and slowly, his remote-control wheelchair began to raise his six-foot-four-inch frame to a standing position. Brown loved his chair, and he especially enjoyed that feature. Living with Friedreich’s Ataxia, a rare and debilitating disease that progressively damages the nervous system, he wasn’t able to extend all of his lanky frame.
(Durham Herald-Sun)
Related: Campus Connections
Carolina Insider Podcast: UNC Football/Basketball talk, actress Sharon Lawrence joins, 2026 Poddys!The 2026-27 UNC sports season is right around the corner. Jones Angell and Adam Lucas catch up on Tar Heel football and basketball chatter (6:31)...
Fri Jul 24, 2026Video: Tar Heels in DC - Capitol Tour With Elizabeth Adkins
North Carolina alumna Elizabeth Adkins (Class of 2018) serves as Chief of Staff for Congresswoman Valerie Foushee. Follow along as Adkins takes us on a...
Wed Jul 22, 2026
New and incoming restaurants add to Chapel Hill's vibrant food scene
In the past year, Chapel Hill has seen its restaurant scene expand, and its offerings will continue to grow, with a variety of new spots,...
Mon Jul 20, 2026
Video: Tar Heels in DC - Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History with Frank Blazich
UNC alumnus Frank Blazich (Class of 2004), modern military history curator at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, gives us a tour of the...
Mon Jul 20, 2026