'I was rammed by someone while using my wheelchair on a cruise'
Wendi Fletcher, 54, who has Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis, was 'rammed' by someone while on a cruise, despite using a wheelchair and the lady knowing about her condition
Looking out at the horizon before the cruise ship left the port from Malta, Wendi Fletcher, 54, was excited to explore Europe with her husband. But just hours into their Mediterranean cruise, a passenger overshadowed Wendi's holiday, leaving her feeling 'gobsmacked' and in tears.
Wendi, who was diagnosed with RRMS (Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis) - a type of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) - in 2019, has always had a love of exploring new places, having backpacked across the world with her husband, Tony, 55, when they were younger and now regularly jets off for sun-soaked getaways or on one of their favourites, a cruise.
Due to her RRMS, Wendi faces daily struggles with walking, which she finds "more and more difficult" while dealing with left arm heaviness and on-and-off blurred vision. On top of this, she can also suffer from facial numbness at times, so a cruise is one of the best ways to enable the mum-of-one, to Katie, 23, to travel freely around different countries.
The 54-year-old has always loved travelling and going on a cruise has become one of her favourite ways to see the world
The encounter happened on the first day of the Mediterranean cruise
In April 2024, Wendi and her husband, who have been on numerous cruises over the years, excitedly boarded the ship from Malta to venture through the Mediterranean. During a cruise, Wendi will take a self-propelled wheelchair, along with a walking stick from Cool Crutches and an elbow crutch to help aid her mobility, depending on how she is feeling on the day.
However, when she was using her wheelchair as a walking aid on day one of the cruise, she was shockingly "rammed" by another passenger. She exclusively told the Mirror, "I was walking with my wheelchair, and as I got into a lift, there were three people already in the lift. It was a mother and daughter, and I assume the man with them was her husband.
"I think this woman was having a really bad day. She said straight away as I got into the lift, 'You've just hit my 90-year-old mother'. She suggested that I'd wheeled my wheelchair in and pushed it into her mother, but I 100% knew that I hadn't touched her mum.
Wendi, from Manchester, quickly explained to the woman that she had a disability but said the woman "threw her head back and did this big comedy laugh." Wendi explained that the woman then proceeded to push her wheelchair into her, knocking her off balance.
Wendi with her husband, Tony, and daughter, Katie
Wendi was diagnosed with RRMS, a type of Multiple Sclerosis (MS), in 2019
"I explained I have Multiple Sclerosis and struggle with my balance', but she said she didn't care and that if she sees me around the ship again, she'll push me again."
After the ordeal, Wendi, who describes herself as a no-nonsense type of person, was left stunned by the encounter. "I didn't say anything to her because I was so shocked and taken aback. I then went back to my cabin and cried. I felt ridiculous, and then I was annoyed at myself for crying."
Wendi added, "To me, that's an assault on a disabled person. She knew full well about my disability, and I explained that to her. I consider that to be a disability hate crime. I was really upset about it and literally gobsmacked that she would be like that.
"I can't tell you how much I'm not this person normally, but honestly, I was worried about bumping into her again. I wanted to be with my husband, but I didn't want to be by myself in case I saw her.
Wendi admitted that the event ruined her holiday spirit for a while. "It dampened the trip and left me feeling vulnerable when I was on the ship."
"I've kind of erased it from a memory; it had such an impact."
Thankfully, it hasn't put Wendi off travelling with plans already in the mix for 2025, including a cruise.
Before getting her RRMS in 2019, Wendi experienced various symptoms, including blurred vision, subtly losing her balance and even small things like "looking up in the shower and choking on water." But Wendi said things came to a head when her left arm became heavy while driving. "I was driving the car, and my left arm got so heavy that I couldn't change gears properly.
The mum-of-one was left stunned by the ordeal on the cruise ship
"After that, I didn't have great control over my left arm, and my vision became very blurred, I also had lower back pain." After this, Wendi got her vision checked by the opticians which led to a letter to her GP and eventually, her RRMS diagnosis.
"I felt relieved that I had answers to the way I was feeling, and initially, it was so overwhelming. It's a life-changing diagnosis. It can be really difficult, but I've also had a positive mindset and the tools to cope with that."
In a bid to spread awareness and her day-to-day experiences, Wendi shares her journey on her TikTok and YouTube page under Wobbly Wendi. She has also collaborated with Cool Crutches & Walking Sticks.