Leslie Lemke was born prematurely in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1952. At birth, he was diagnosed with glaucoma, cerebral palsy, and brain damage. Doctors were forced to remove his eyes. His birth mother gave him up for adoption. May Lemke, a nurse, adopted him when he was six months old. To feed him, May had to stroke his throat to make him swallow his food. It was a year before Leslie could chew food on his own. It took seven years of constant care before Leslie showed any progress. During this time, he made no sounds or movements and showed no emotions. He was 12 before he first learned to stand. He was 15 before he learned to walk.