New Movie Focuses on Overcoming Stuttering

Edward Neufville grew up in Liberia. He escaped the civil war there. He ran hurdles in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. He earned a law degree. He also stutters.

"You wake up in the morning with speech on your mind and you go to sleep with speech on your mind, as well," said Neufville.

Neufville thinks about every word he chooses. One of the hardest things is just saying his own name.

"I was an athlete, so I wanted to make sure that people knew who I was so I didn't have to say my name. So I made sure I won races," said Neufville.

Now, stuttering itself is in the spotlight. There's a new movie called The King's Speech. Colin Firth plays Britain's King George VI.

"For the longest (time), McDonald’s had the number 4 which is the Big Mac. I love Big Mac. So number 4 with l-l-l-l-lemonade as my drink but instead of saying it, I would say 'Hi-C". I won't have to say the 'l'," he says.

Neufville chose a job that involved public speaking. Lots of people who stutter do just the opposite. These days it's easier for people who stutter to retreat, especially because of email and texting.

Vivian Sisskin is a speech language pathologist who specializes in stuttering.

"I don't wanna show that to the public, so I might do something like 'My name is, uh, my name is Vivian'. And that little uh, backing up and saying words over again, allows me to move through my name," says Neufville.

Sisskin says even Marilyn Monroe stuttered. Some speculate that breathy voice was her way of hiding her problem. Sisskin says half the people she works with have a close family member who stutters.

"The cause of stuttering is still unknown, but recent research has lead us to believe that it's neuropsychological and largely genetic," says Sisskin.

Even family members need educating. The best advice for others, look them in the eye and let them finish.

Edward says be patient, people who stutter have important things to say. It just takes a little longer.

LINK: www.stutteringhelp.org