Damon Gilstrap’s name was freshly engraved into a little golden plaque on the wall of the library at Onondaga Community College. Across the room, the man himself walked by, swapping hellos with passing classmates.
It’s a normal moment in the school hallways. But everything about Gilstrap — his walk, his voice, his accolades — has been hard-won.
Until 2015, Gilstrap had only a fifth-grade education. The first half of his life was marked by tragedies, and even after he found a good job and a loving partner, he suffered a stroke that impaired his speech and motor skills.
JULES STRUCK 