Remembering Willowbrook: A conversation with Bernard Carabello and Geraldo Rivera

Bernard Carabello and Geraldo Rivera reflect on the 50 years since the initial release of the Willowbrook expose. Although there is still further to go, on this anniversary, we look back on how far we've come.
This video was produced before the agency changed its name to the New York State Council on Developmental Disabilities (CDD). It contains references and logos of our former title, The Developmental Disabilities Planning Council (DDPC). Despite the different names, these are the same agency

[@teijaflink2226]

Good to see Bernard doing well, he's inspiring.

[@nat7891]

Blessings to Dr. Wilkins for notifying Geraldo Rivera of the conditions inside Willowbrook. Bless him for speaking out!

[@sukie584]

My profoundly retarded ( as it was called in the 60s) brother lived there from age 5-11. It is what was recommended to so many parents at that time. I don’t know if my parents were qualified emotionally to cope with his needs regardless. He was originally in building 1 which was not bad. As he got older & bigger, he was moved into one of the dormitories, building 13 ( if memory serves correctly). We went most Sundays. I will never forget the smell. I was 1.5 yrs younger than my brother. I blocked it out for years but the past decade I’ve been searching my memories & looking for footage on it. I will always respect Geraldo for exposing the horrors.

[@MarkLeben-zw9ou]

Riv you are great for these people

[@dawndid5972]

Thank you, Mr. Carabello, Mr. Rivera and Mr. Kennedy for your service to our people. Good friends for fifty.

[@intothespiralingdepths3359]

Keep fighting Bernard, you're an inspiration to us all! Sending lots of love and luck from the UK 🇬🇧 💗

[@ramencurry6672]

I wish the success of King Charles.

[@willbedford8381]

How did Bernard live there during such important times of development and still come out being so cultured, well spoken and intelligent? I doubt he had anyone reading him bed time stories or even the basics we learn in school.

[@27caroma]

What an amazing man who overcame many obstacles in his life to get a Drs. degree. Thank you to Geraldo, and the 2 doctors that exposed the horrors of Willowbrook.

[@483115]

Sending love and admiration to Bernard all the way from the 🇬🇧 💖

[@rojava1619]

Same love from York UK

[@geminiflamez]

God bless that man for reporting on this and Bernard for his fighting spirit!

[@autumnleaves2766]

Good to learn that Bernard got out of Willowbrook and then managed to find a life in the outside world advocating for the rights of the mentally disabled. However, I would imagine that many of his fellow inmates died at Willowbrook, unloved and abandoned and we'll probably never know the exact numbers. So sad.

[@wanderlotus869]

Thank you Mr. Carabello and Mr. Rivera for breaking through boundaries and standing up to the status quo. You made significant changes. We owe you a depth of gratitude. ❤

[@sugaredviolets2085]

I’m so HAPPY to see Bernard! I’ve been following Willowbrook for quite a few years. And I’m so very glad to see him doing well and out of that horror show. ❤

[@zeros-gy7bl]

Thank you for this video. Everyone on earth should know who Bernard is & what he has accomplished!

[@Amy-xg4jn]

awesome to see u doing so well Bernard..💯❤

[@butterfliesinspace]

We have to remember the past and learn from it. We are past the point of headed back into the problems that caused the Willowbrook issues. Pay staff more, increase audits to the non profit agencies, increase staff oversight, increase self directed services and put the hammer down on the staff who take advantage of the system. Make use of accessible technology, create better ways to call out issues in the system and incentivizing building solutions.

[@energyasylum997]

Wow!! I remember watching the program years ago, always wondered about this man.. sooo ggladdd he’s still around and made a great career!

[@musclemark2710]

Unbearable words cannot relate no where near to the feelings I have experienced to hearing this story. Heartbroken is an understatement and nothing can fix the damage done to my learning of what happened to our children at Willowbrook 😢

[@kathleenvallee4876]

50 years later and so much has changed in NY State as far as residences, living situations, advocacy, and quality of life experiences. We need to see and reflect on the past to know that we NEVER want anything even remotely similar to happen again.

[@sonjamiller8607]

It's so good to see you. I know you're having a wonderful life now. God bless you darling I will always remember you.

[@ldshasnobrain]

Love to Bernard from the UK.

[@sarah6557]

Just think if Geraldo friend hadn't told him about willowbrook and gave him the key no one would of known about the poor souls in there. Wow Bernard at 18 was an impressive individual very aware of what was going on in that awful place made me cry looking in to his eyes so glad he made it ❤ so sad for those who didn't a bitter sweet story.💙them poor soul didnt deserve that.

[@tron.44]

Who the hell is Gernaldo?

[@bradruiz9461]

Geraldo Rivera is an amazing person....

[@jendagesse4524]

What a horrible place for these people

[@30chrismuc]

thanks for doing this interview...all the best from germany

[@rikijett310]

Interesting that Bobby Kennedy was speaking about this. I bet his sister Rose never spent one minute in a place like that.

[@southphillylilly]

Which makes it all the more poignant that he cared. You speak as if it's some kind of dismissal of him. He was a humanist, and he cared for these people enough to speak about it. I could see the criticism in your statement if he didn't care. But he did And you must not know, that she was strapped to a table at 21 years old and had a forced lobotomy and spent the rest of her life separated from her family and institutionalized. You don't need to be so ignorant, there is an entire Internet out there that you could read these things for yourself

[@rikijett310]

@@southphillylilly how about you stop being so ignorant and assuming that you're some sort of expert on what I mean here with my post. Just stfu because you don't know the first thing about me or what I meant.

[@Missssrooty]

Bernard was so handsome bless his heart ❤️ ❤❤

[@willrosa7228]

Does anyone know how I can find Bernard Carabello? I’ve lost contact with him and haven’t seen or spoken to him in a few years.

[@miked4377]

love to bernard....

[@sarahkoch-feldman2029]

God Bless Bernard

[@justme3w847]

❤❤❤ to Benard

[@edmitch39]

I love both you guys,Benarnarrd you went on and and have done amazings things with your your life. you have a story that you can tell for generations to come. but you still have life to life. and for Gereraldo. you opppeded the doors. fuck the privacy, love you guys, all the best

[@bobr7380]

De-institutionalization? Willowbrook was a bad place that was extremely awful. Instead of being closed it should have been recreated to a properly run facility BUT that would have cost money. It was easier to close this and other such facilities. The result? The residents were displaced to the general populist without warning and we now suffer from the results. Homelessness issues. People being assaulted. A personal friend being murdered. There is a place and a need for well run institutions that properly screen there patients. If you worked among this population daily you would have a better insight. Please before you judge remember the term "properly run facility". Willowbrook was not but it created a domino effect that is unlikely to be reversed and now the nation suffers from a mental health crisis.

[@bobr7380]

The Bernards are the exception.

[@meganmorris5105]

Right! Properly run institutions are still needed. But, they must be a last resort. We must try everything to place them in the community first. There are times when a properly run institution is the best place. We also need more supports in the community.

[@RocketmanRockyMatrix]

The abuse makes people worse.

[@irisadorno2594]

Omg where is humanity 😫

[@sarapaws692]

Ending 2022 on this video.

[@jobe7504]

And I’m ending my 2023 with this video 😢

[@AvoidantNomad]

Producer: “What are some of your proudest moments?” Bernard: “Me!” You choked me up, Bernard! That’s one of the best things I’ve ever heard

[@chantelcuddemi7646]

How sad.

[@juangmail8493]

I wonder if there are more homes like this

[@maryshaffer8474]

There were the law changed and dumped them and mentally ill on the street as they're wasn't care set up. Many died. Cause the government doesn't do things half way.

[@southphillylilly]

Thousands

[@candy-sj]

The judge Rotenberg center still exist, the also use electric shocks on them😢

[@droyston3631]

Can't blame the people that worked there. Men and women (not parents) should be ashamed of themselves. Lay down open your legs get pregnant and then just take "it" and dump "it" somewhere. WOW. Heartless!! can't blame it all on the workers. And can't call those people parents.

[@miked4377]

that was the most horrible thing ive seen in a long time.......how can this happen...but it has ..j

[@ramencurry6672]

Supposedly it happened because it was cheaper for the state to just round up the kids and tuck them away behind closed doors. Treating people who are different as 2nd class citizen was probably another factor too

[@armybeef68]

2:20 Dude looks like a skinny David Berkowitz.

[@Gothamish]

Seems like we did well by eliminating a huge problem, but we did not solve the issue. Many mentally ill people live on our streets, and I suppose that is better than a badly run institution. But why haven't we done better?

[@JaydenLittle-mj8wr]

They say the place is haunted by a white female figure willowbrook can anyone confirm this theory ?

[@MegaMastiffman]

What change?? What outpatient?? BS the fix is in. The amount of tax we pay these people should easily be cared for through state land and incentives for people to work there but that won’t happen because if it did how could Politicians steal most of there funding???

[@johndonahue3509]

My mom gave her life for the mentally challenged...they are wonderful ....so easily amused... making them smile is all that counts

[@michaelares4240]

My dad took care of Bernard he gave him excellent care. I also met him a few times. Jerry Rivera is complete fruad . I was there .

[@MsEmmaWroids]

Details if it's ok with you