Joni Eareckson Tada (born October 15, 1949) is an American evangelical Christian author and radio host. She is the founder of "Joni and Friends", an organization "accelerating Christian ministry in the disability community". Tada was born in Baltimore, Maryland. Tada wrote of her life in her 1976 international best-selling autobiography, "Joni: The unforgettable story of a young woman's struggle against quadriplegia & depression".