Made It!

by Bernie Mulligan

The story of Marie Mulligan’s tenacious hold on happiness despite war, polio, paralysis, and the loss of her one true love.

Marie Cooper Mulligan lived in extraordinary times, and through bleak circumstances. Her life was shaped by World War II, an immigration to America, the Rhode Island polio outbreak of early 1955, and the political turmoil of the '60s and '70s.

Despite the heartbreak and complications of polio, which led to her total paralysis, the love and faithfulness of her husband, Bernard, helped her endure. He endeavored to make life exciting for her in some way, and began fixing up an old bus that could meet her physical challenges. Traveling in the 1948 REO bus with her husband and children became the thrill of her life, and her neighbors in East Providence loved to help and cheer her on.

Sadly, she would outlive Bernard — and along with the pain of his death, it seemed as though she might never travel again. Yet the neighborhood children that had surrounded her had become teenagers and young adults who wanted to help her. They collected 6,000 books of S&H Green Stamps and purchased a 27-foot Winnebago. Teenagers within days of obtaining their drivers' licenses were soon driving her across the country in the mobile home, all the way to the Pacific Ocean. This true story defies expectation. It is a love story; it is history. Made It!

Bernie Mulligan

Bernie is the second of four sons of Marie (née Cooper) and Bernard Mulligan. The events documented in his memoir, Made It!, span from his childhood through adolescence and young adulthood, and transpire from coast to coast across the continental United States.

His mother’s perseverance, intellect, and courage were always great sources of inspiration to him, even as the family navigated the complexities of her disability.

A tribute to Marie as well as an encapsulation of an era, Made It! explores the trials, tribulations, and transcendance of his family.

About The Author »

Polio in the 1950s

It’s especially poignant now to re-examine the scourge of polio that swept the nation for a significant portion of the last half of the twentieth century. One of the most feared viruses in the U.S., polio had become one of the most serious communicable diseases in the country. In 1952 alone, nearly 60,000 people were infected with the virus; thousands were paralyzed, and more than 3,000 died. Hospitals set up special units with iron lung machines to keep polio victims alive.

Then in 1955, the U.S. began widespread vaccinations. By 1979, the virus had been completely eliminated across the country. Now polio is on the verge of being eliminated from the world. It never reached “herd immunity,” it was eradicated by vaccines.

The human toll polio took is incalculable. Made It! examines one family’s story confronting it.

About Polio »

S&H Green Stamps

Who remembers green stamps? These were everywhere, once upon a time in America. Gas stations, grocery stores, five & dimes — they all gave them out as promotions. You’d collect them in booklets, pasting them into the pages, then redeem these for gifts or prizes.

Green stamps enabled the purchase of a 27-foot Winnebago RV, a most important part of Made It! — family, friends, and neighbors redeemed over 7,000 books of them to make it possible. Yet, green stamps are a story in their own right.

From the 1930s through the 1980s, this line of trading stamps had a rich history. And, you can still redeem them today!

About Green Stamps »

Galleries

Photos

Many of the people and events featured in Made It! were captured in family photos, and others taken by friends of the family. These offer additional glimpses into the story, beyond the book.

Visit our photo gallery

Illustrations

Illustrations in Made It! were drawn by Emily McCoomb and other artists. In this gallery, artistic depictions of scenes from the book are chronologically presented — relive the events of the story in narrative artwork.

Visit our illustration gallery

Video

Super 8mm footage from the days and settings in Made It! was edited into a video of life in and around the Mulligan house, and the Winnebago. See people, locations, and sights from the book brought to life.