David Rose Deaf Quadriplegic Dies---Deaf Quadriplegic Internet Sensation David Rose Dies At 24: David Rose loved Twitter, Facebook, and boob jokes. This is the norm for most 24-year-old guys. Except Rose was also a quadriplegic whose inspirational words and wit amassed thousands of likes and followers.
After being admitted to the hospital for a cold late last week, Rose died from pneumonia on Oct. 11, according to a blog post.
Born with cerebral palsy, Rose was deaf, mute and confined to a wheelchair, which he didn't see as a challenge.
“I do not even consider myself deaf, I am just "visually oriented," lol. I see everything I need to instead of hear it,” Rose wrote on his Facebook page.
This was especially true when it came to his Internet habits. Rose had a Tobii computer that tracked his eye movement using infrared light. His eyes essentially became the computer mouse. He could click by either staring at a point or blinking, typing about four words per minute.
When he first learned he had pneumonia, Rose wrote a post that he asked his sister to publish in the event he ended up dying. He said if everything ended up fine, though, he would "write a funny new post with lot of boob jokes in it. but if i not be around in a week then publish this."
In the post, which his sister published the day he died, Rose also went on to praise his readers. “You are all special. all of you unique! love each other and make each other smile. a good joke is good medicine! make sure everyone around you have a smile ok? always do what is right. always! but forgive yourself if you forget sometimes. i have to go now. i love you all. i really do. you are amazing. i will never forget you!"
The Chive and the Daily Mail discovered the Costa Mesa, Calif. native’s story, growing his Twitter feed to more than 13,000 followers. Rose took every advantage of the social media platform.
He responded to dozens of tweets and comments as he could. Rose garnered a large following because of his witty and at times, raunchy, humor:
“My nose still itch and mom still gone so need pretty girl volunteer come scratch it. but rule is you cannot use your hands lol” Rose joked in a recent tweet.
Recently, he had been posting from his hospital bed, where he was being treated for pneumonia. Rose, in his signature inquisitive tone peppered with humor, wondered in his final blog post about what was next for him:
"first of all want to ask if there is sound in heaven. i guess there is but not sure if i want it! here on earth i been happy to be deaf and nobody seem to be very good at describe what is sound, so i have not miss it. but i guess if that part of the deal then i have to take what i get! say a message for me and maybe i will hear it! or maybe angels know asl i bet they do they are pretty smart lol"
