--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There was a small boy on crutches. I do…" description: "\"There was a small boy on crutches. I do not know his name, and I suspect I never will. But I will never forget his face, his smile, his sorrow. He is o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71a/james-randi-12614_able_there-was-a-small-boy-on-crutches-i-do-n_1179705.jpg" --- # There was a small boy on crutches. I do not know his name… ![“There was a small boy on crutches. I do not know his name, and I suspect I never will. But I will never forget his face, his smile, his sorrow. He is one of the millions robbed of hope and dignity by charlatans discussed in this book. Wherever and whoever he is, I apologize to him for not having…” quote by James Randi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71a/james-randi-12614_able_there-was-a-small-boy-on-crutches-i-do-n_1179705.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71a/james-randi-12614_able_there-was-a-small-boy-on-crutches-i-do-n_1179705.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71a/james-randi-12614_able_there-was-a-small-boy-on-crutches-i-do-n_1179705.jpg) > “There was a small boy on crutches. I do not know his name, and I suspect I never will. But I will never forget his face, his smile, his sorrow. He is one of the millions robbed of hope and dignity by charlatans discussed in this book. Wherever and whoever he is, I apologize to him for not having been able to protect him from such an experience. I humbly dedicate this book to him and to the many others who have suffered because the rest of us began caring too late.” [James Randi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-randi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A forgotten child’s suffering illustrates the harm of delayed compassion and exploitation by false healers. **In simple terms:** Ignore suffering at your peril. Key Takeaway Act early to protect the vulnerable. Themes compassion justice vulnerability Mood somber urgent Type reflective advocational When to use this quote - healthcare - charity work - advocacy - policy making Key Concepts ethical responsibility exploitation human dignity Questions to Reflect On - How can you help before it’s too late? - What systems prevent exploitation? A Different Perspective Some may argue resources are limited for all. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Boys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys/) [Caring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caring/) [Dignity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dignity/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Grief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grief/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Positive atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positive-atheism/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Sorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sorrow/) [Too late](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-late/) ## Related quotes > [By the power of love,we are ready to learn,you how to sacrifice but I hope our dignity we can't lost it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariane-corbito/by-the-power-of-love-we-are-ready-to-learn-you-how-to-sacrifice-but-i/) [Mariane Corbito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariane-corbito/) > [The never ending search for a truth never told. The loss of all hope and your dignity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slayer/the-never-ending-search-for-a-truth-never-told-the-loss-of-all-hope/) [Slayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slayer/) > [There will always be a place for us somewhere, somehow, as long as we see to it that working people fight for everything they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-bridges/there-will-always-be-a-place-for-us-somewhere-somehow-as-long-as-we/) [Harry Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-bridges/) > [I apologize to those supporting Wii U about the lack of new titles from Nintendo in January and February but please understand we will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/satoru-iwata/i-apologize-to-those-supporting-wii-u-about-the-lack-of-new-titles/) [Satoru Iwata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/satoru-iwata/) > [Freedom can be gained only at the point of an IRA rifle, and I apologize to no one for saying that we support the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-mcguinness/freedom-can-be-gained-only-at-the-point-of-an-ira-rifle-and-i/) [Martin McGuinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-mcguinness/) > [If there's anyone still present whom I've failed to insult . . . I apologize.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/if-there-s-anyone-still-present-whom-i-ve-failed-to-insult-i-apologize/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [“I’m sorry.’ The two most inadequate words in the English language.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-revis/i-m-sorry-the-two-most-inadequate-words-in-the-english-language/) [Beth Revis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-revis/) > [I apologize for apologizing." "Thank you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/i-apologize-for-apologizing-thank-you/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [The Top 10 Most Effective Things That You Can Say: 1. Thank you very much. 2, You are so right. 3. How can I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-leonard/the-top-10-most-effective-things-that-you-can-say-1-thank-you-very/) [Thomas Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-leonard/) > [To all my friends, readers, and students: I apologize for not being able to write you directly, however the God and Goddess have given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-michael-kraig/to-all-my-friends-readers-and-students-i-apologize-for-not-being-able/) [Donald Michael Kraig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-michael-kraig/) > [o the gay community I apologize if I did something, but all I said was I was against same-sex marriage. But I am not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manny-pacquiao/o-the-gay-community-i-apologize-if-i-did-something-but-all-i-said-was/) [Manny Pacquiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manny-pacquiao/) > [I have lived my life very openly and have never hidden the fact that I am gay. Apparently the prerequisite to being a gay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-knight/i-have-lived-my-life-very-openly-and-have-never-hidden-the-fact-that/) [Jonathan Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-knight/) > [A poor choice of words conveyed to some the impression that I embrace the discarded policies of the past. Nothing could be further from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-lott/a-poor-choice-of-words-conveyed-to-some-the-impression-that-i-embrace/) [Trent Lott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-lott/) > [I wasn't saying whatever they're saying I was saying. I'm sorry I said it really. I never meant it to be a lousy anti-religious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/i-wasn-t-saying-whatever-they-re-saying-i-was-saying-i-m-sorry-i-said/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [My overall point is that 'one and dones' are not healthy for college basketball. I should not have made it personal to Kentucky and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-knight/my-overall-point-is-that-one-and-dones-are-not-healthy-for-college/) [Bobby Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-knight/) ## More by James Randi > [Escapology has one thing going for it that probably made Harry Houdini such a superstar in his day and a legend in the present.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-randi/escapology-has-one-thing-going-for-it-that-probably-made-harry/) [James Randi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-randi/) > [Religion is based upon blind faith supported by no evidence. Science is based upon confidence that results from evidence - and that confidence can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-randi/religion-is-based-upon-blind-faith-supported-by-no-evidence-science/) [James Randi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-randi/) > [One thing that has made a big comeback just recently is this business of speaking with the dead. To my innocent mind, 'dead' implies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-randi/one-thing-that-has-made-a-big-comeback-just-recently-is-this-business/) [James Randi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-randi/) > [I want to be cremated, and I want my ashes blown in Uri Geller's eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-randi/i-want-to-be-cremated-and-i-want-my-ashes-blown-in-uri-geller-s-eyes/) [James Randi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-randi/) > [To make sure that my blasphemy is thoroughly expressed, I hereby state my opinion that the notion of a god is a basic superstition,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-randi/to-make-sure-that-my-blasphemy-is-thoroughly-expressed-i-hereby-state/) [James Randi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-randi/) > [No evidence against a firmly-held belief, no matter how good or abundant it may be, will sway the true believer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-randi/no-evidence-against-a-firmly-held-belief-no-matter-how-good-or/) [James Randi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-randi/) > [I do not expect that homeopathy will ever be established as a legitimate form of treatment, but I do expect that it will continue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-randi/i-do-not-expect-that-homeopathy-will-ever-be-established-as-a/) [James Randi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-randi/) > [We owe it to our kids to inform them and train them how to think, not what to think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-randi/we-owe-it-to-our-kids-to-inform-them-and-train-them-how-to-think-not/) [James Randi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-randi/) > [I questioned her further, and eventually got to talk to her doctor. And her doctor sort of shook his head and he said, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-randi/i-questioned-her-further-and-eventually-got-to-talk-to-her-doctor-and/) [James Randi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-randi/) > [Everyone who believes in telekinesis, raise my hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-randi/everyone-who-believes-in-telekinesis-raise-my-hand/) [James Randi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-randi/) > [... We in the USA have been depending on prayers, pleading, and self-abasement to a deity to bring us magical advantages, and have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-randi/we-in-the-usa-have-been-depending-on-prayers-pleading-and-self/) [James Randi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-randi/) > [Magicians are the most honest people in the world; they tell you they're gonna fool you, and then they do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-randi/magicians-are-the-most-honest-people-in-the-world-they-tell-you-they/) [James Randi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-randi/) > [Science is best defined as a careful, disciplined, logical search for knowledge about any and all aspects of the universe, obtained by examination of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-randi/science-is-best-defined-as-a-careful-disciplined-logical-search-for/) [James Randi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-randi/) > [gods are children's blankets that get carried over into adulthood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-randi/gods-are-children-s-blankets-that-get-carried-over-into-adulthood/) [James Randi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-randi/) > [The only difference is that religion is much better organized and has been around much longer, but it's the same story with different characters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-randi/the-only-difference-is-that-religion-is-much-better-organized-and-has/) [James Randi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-randi/) [Explore all 54 James Randi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-randi/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) Greg Perry > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. 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This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There was a small boy on crutches. I do not know his name, and I suspect I never will. But I will never forget his face, his smile, his sorrow. He is one of the millions robbed of hope and dignity by charlatans discussed in this book. Wherever and whoever he is, I apologize to him for not having been able to protect him from such an experience. 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