Adam Zimpel was affected more than many people were in the pandemic because he is severely disabled. He lost his job and his social life. Adam said wisely, “My mother and I were never afraid of the virus. We even drove to empty hospitals at the height of the supposed pandemic. No ambulances to it. Nowadays, there are a lot of ambulances because of the safe and effective vaccine.”
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[00:00:00]
Wayne Lenhardt
Our next witness is going to be quite unusual; let me explain what’s going to happen first. This is a fellow who is severely disabled. He is in a wheelchair and we’re going to put his picture up on the screen. And what he does is: I can ask him a question, he will hear it, and then he types into his computer. The computer then becomes a person and takes the typed message and gives it to us audibly. So I’m going to be leading him more than I normally would. I’ll try to give a question with some information in it that he can answer “yes” or “no.”
So that’s what’s going to happen now. I believe he is on the feed right now. There’s a picture of him up there. So let me do an oath with him first.
Adam, your name is Adam Zimpel, spelled A-D-A-M Z-I-M-P-E-L. Do you promise that the testimony you will give today will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you?
Adam Zimpel
Yes.
Wayne Lenhardt
That was a yes into the phone. Okay, let me just explain who you are to the commissioners and then we’ll see how we can do this. You’re a 39-year-old man who’s severely disabled. And in early 2020, you got a job working as a travel agent, which was your dream job.
Is that correct?
Adam Zimpel
Yes.
Wayne Lenhardt
Thank you. The clicking that you hear, by the way, is his typing on his computer. Because of the COVID in 2020, there was a declaration of a state of emergency in Ontario. And at that point, you basically lost this job as a travel agent, is that correct?
Adam Zimpel
Yes.
Wayne Lenhardt
Thank you. At that point, your life routine significantly altered in the sense that you lost all of your personal support workers and your mother had to become your primary caregiver. Is that correct?
Adam Zimpel
Yes.
Wayne Lenhardt
Because you would work from home as a travel agent, in the evenings you normally would like to go out and socialize. But once the mandates came in, that was taken away from you. Is that correct?
Adam Zimpel
Yes.
Wayne Lenhardt
You never did get the so-called vaccination and you refused to take it. And at this point, you are still not so-called vaccinated. Is that correct?
Adam Zimpel
Yes.
Wayne Lenhardt
As the lockdown continued and the passport system was rolled out, not having taken the jab, you would not have been able to do much in the evenings even if you had been able to go out. Is that correct?
Adam Zimpel
Yes.
Wayne Lenhardt
I think it’s pretty obvious that you’ve been impacted far more than most people would have been impacted by this, these mandates and whatnot.
At this point, I think I will let you tell us anything else that you would like. We will listen for the computer clicks. At this point also perhaps,
[00:05:00]
the commissioners could be thinking of any questions they might have. Perhaps you could do that for us. And if you have your mother or someone there, perhaps she could indicate to us when you’re done.
Adam Zimpel
I like to eat at a local restaurant—like, neighbourhood. That was brutally taken away. Even McDonald’s was deemed dangerous. During the weekend I like to go downtown, that was
[00:10:00]
deemed unhealthy. While altering routines is hard for any person, in the disabled, it is especially unbearable.
Wayne Lenhardt
How do we get the question? Did you get what he said?
Adam Zimpel
My mother and I were never afraid of the virus. We even drove to
[00:15:00]
empty hospitals at the height of the supposed pandemic. No ambulances to it. Nowadays, there are a lot of ambulances because of the safe and effective vaccine.
Wayne Lenhardt
Okay. I have three questions from the commissioners.
So let me ask the first one and then we’ll stop and get your response. Did your support workers stop coming because they were afraid of the virus? I’ll say that again: Did your support workers stop coming because they were afraid of the virus? Okay, go ahead.
Adam Zimpel
Yes. I asked who is
[00:20:00]
the doctor from [inaudible] strategy ordered them. I made the mistake of letting them go.
I think it is the biggest mistake of my life.
Wayne Lenhardt
Okay. Thank you for that. Okay, I think we have your answers here.
So given the lateness of the hour, thank you very much for your testimony on behalf of the National Citizens Inquiry. And we wish you the very best in the future with your job search and all the rest of your situation. Thank you again.
[00:24:53]
Final Review and Approval: Jodi Bruhn, September 6, 2023.
The evidence offered in this transcript is a true and faithful record of witness testimony given during the National Citizens Inquiry (NCI) hearings. The transcript was prepared by members of a team of volunteers using an “intelligent verbatim” transcription method.
For further information on the transcription process, method, and team, see the NCI website: https://nationalcitizensinquiry.ca/about-these-transcripts/
Summary
Adam Zimpel is a severely disabled man who lost his personal care workers and had to have his mother do his care during the lockdowns. He lost his job as a remotely working travel agent and all opportunities to socialize.
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