▁various ▁dis ability ▁rights ▁communities , ▁building ▁cross - dis ability ▁coal itions ▁between ▁dispar ate ▁dis ability ▁organizations , ▁and ▁using ▁technology ▁to ▁connect ▁otherwise ▁isolated ▁dis ability ▁constitu encies , ▁F ay ▁worked ▁dil ig ently ▁to ▁raise ▁aw aren ess ▁and ▁pass ▁legisl ation ▁adv ancing ▁civil ▁rights ▁and ▁independent ▁living ▁opportun ities ▁for ▁people ▁with ▁dis abilities ▁across ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁ ▁He ▁won ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁Henry ▁B . ▁Bet ts ▁Award ▁for ▁out standing ▁achiev ement ▁in ▁civil ▁rights ▁for ▁Americans ▁with ▁dis abilities . ▁ ▁F ay ▁was ▁recognized ▁for ▁" flat - out ▁advoc acy " ▁over ▁several ▁dec ades . ▁He ▁helped ▁lead ▁the ▁nation wide ▁efforts ▁by ▁dis ability ▁advoc ates ▁to ▁secure ▁passage ▁of ▁the ▁Americans ▁with ▁Dis abilities ▁Act ▁of ▁ 1 9 9 0 . ▁ ▁Jonathan ▁Young , ▁chairman ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Council ▁on ▁Dis ability , ▁said , ▁" F red ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁great ▁early ▁pione ers ▁in ▁dis ability ▁advoc acy ... the ▁depth ▁and ▁bread th ▁of ▁his ▁knowledge ▁and ▁commit ment ▁was ▁sur pass ed ▁only ▁by ▁the ▁life ▁he ▁lived ▁and ▁the ▁legacy ▁he ▁leaves ▁behind ." ▁ ▁Frederick ▁All an ▁F ay , ▁Ph . D ., ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁September ▁ 1 2 , ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁and ▁raised ▁in ▁Washington , ▁DC . ▁ ▁At ▁age ▁ 1 6 , ▁he ▁sust ained ▁a ▁cer v ical ▁sp inal ▁cord ▁injury ,