At the age of three, I underwent a bacterial infection and the doctors at Stanford were forced to amputate both of my legs; one above the knee, one below the knee, and all my fingers (save my thumbs). I have been able to lead a relatively normal life: though I do struggle with the disability, I make it a point to not let the impediment affect my emotional and mental growth.

Amputees are rarely represented in a fair light in the media. We are often shown as one of three things:

Burdens: Families in movies and television shows tell stories about how we are tough to take a care of and live with. We are unable to have any semblance of independence and aspirations.

Plot devices: We can not exist in our own lives without our handicap stunting our growth as human beings. We are portrayed as different and somehow incapable of leading normal lives or those around us leading normal lives without our handicaps keeping us from accomplishing our goals. Main characters dating an amputee are seen as heroes taking a hit for the rest of humanity.

Inspirations: Last, and arguably worst, we are shown as inspirations. Shown as examples in movies of how we overcame our hurdles to complete our dreams. The aspirations of a handicapped character are dwindled down to the opinions and thoughts of others.

When I read the young adult novel “The Fault in Our Stars” by John Green, I tipped my hat to the author, pleased with the accurate portrayal of my lifestyle in the book.

The character Augustus Waters (played by Ansel Elgort in the movie adaptation), an amputee who lost most of his right leg to osteosarcoma, was written in the most eloquent and accurate way I have seen in popular media. His teenage boy energy and thoughts were not taken, and he retained a certain buoyancy instead of the traditional angst associated with most handicapped characters in the media. His story was not shoved into the cliché and instead, the writer let the character develop into something more than his disability.

John Green encapsulated the experience of being a teenage amputee perfectly in this character, but when the movie rights were sold to Twentieth Century Fox, I began to worry about the future of the character and how the actor would handle the handicap.

As a person with a similar situation to Augustus, I feared for my way of life. I wondered how people with no connection to a handicap would treat me if the character was misinterpreted.

The movie could easily sway into one of two extremes:

The first would be a complete disregard to the handicap. In pictures released from the set, it seems as if this might be the way the production decided to handle the situation. No evidence was shown in costuming of what a prosthetic leg would realistically look like under clothes.

The second would be an over compensation for the actor’s lack of a handicap. Overacting could result in an inaccurate flow of movement and emotional reactions.

Speculation was running rampant before Ansel Elgort was announced as the actor chosen for Augustus. Allegedly Logan Lerman, Nicholas Hoult, Dylan O’Brian, Ezra Miller, and Kyle Harris were also vying for the role.

I have full faith in the competence of the author creating a realistic portrayal of a handicap teenager, but when the movie comes to theaters, a huge shift in opinions for an excessively young audience comes in its wake. The movie has the power to influence the lives of many young amputees populating the earth. How it affects their lives, for better or worse, is entirely dependant on the execution of the character.