TED Health Interview: 4 ways to design a disability-friendly future with BJ Miller
Dec 16, 2025
In this thought-provoking discussion, BJ Miller, a palliative care physician and amputee, shares his transformative journey from trauma to a meaningful life. He emphasizes the importance of reframing society's view on disability as a social construct. Megan Hussey, a disability inclusion advocate, outlines four actionable steps to foster inclusivity, challenging stereotypes and promoting understanding. Together, they highlight the critical need for a world designed for everyone, underscoring that inclusion isn't just a benefit—it's essential.
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The Night That Changed Everything
- BJ Miller recounts climbing a parked train at Princeton and being electrocuted by the pantograph, which caused catastrophic injuries.
- Friends acted quickly, he was airlifted to a burn unit, and surgeries followed to save his life.
Childhood Lessons From Mom
- BJ credits his mother's lived disability with sensitizing him early to the social treatment of disabled people.
- Watching her decline taught him that disability doesn't equal lesser value and shaped his worldview.
Shared Experience As Turning Point
- After his surgeries BJ immediately connected with his mother's shared experience and said they now had more in common.
- That moment signaled a shift from isolation toward kinship and meaning-making in his recovery.