As executive director of the USS Silversides Submarine Museum in Muskegon, Peggy Maniates is passionate about honoring U.S. veterans through education and preservation of the World War II vessel.
“Our guests have the opportunity to step back in time and look at history through the eyes of those who lived it,” Peggy said. “The submarine is a living, learning laboratory – a snapshot into the past. You can walk where the Greatest Generation walked, understand the challenges they faced and all they did to secure the freedoms we as Americans enjoy today.”
That’s why it’s so important to Peggy to have full access to the submarine and its inner workings.
“You need to understand everything that goes on in order to make the most informed decisions, especially when it comes to preserving a historic vessel,” said Peggy, who’s not a veteran herself but “many people I love are.”
After Peggy, 56, had hip replacement surgery, she developed femoral neuropathy. Weakness and loss of feeling in her leg significantly affected her ability to move, preventing her from getting around. She was afraid she’d be limited to using a walker or wheelchair, and that her days navigating the USS Silversides were over.
Then she was referred to Mary Free Bed. She began physical therapy with the Norton Shores team in March.
“They gave me hope,” Peggy said. “They thought outside the box and looked at what I wanted to accomplish. Through trial and error and lots of physical therapy, I got there.”
