Melanie Watson played the role of Kathy Gordon on the American sitcom Diff'rent Strokes. She was inspired by the fact that Lear wanted to represent disabled children on his show, but later revealed that she faced many difficulties. At the time of filming, she revealed in a 2020 interview with Indie Wire that she did not have a wheelchair. Melanie had to be carried everywhere while they were filming the show.In her words:"Back in those days, I didn't have a wheelchair... So I was carried everywhere."Watson was born with a condition called Osteogenesis Imperfecta. In other words, it is also called 'Brittle Bone Disease.' According to the Cleveland Clinic, the disease is described as:"A genetic disease that makes your bones thin and brittle. People with osteogenesis imperfecta break bones easily, with little or no force causing the break. It can also cause a curved spine, muscle weakness, difficulty breathing and other issues."She also elaborated that she used a manual wheelchair, but it would tend to get entangled with the cords on the floor. Nonetheless, she acknowledged that the staff and crew were polite towards her, as well as accommodating.Melanie Watson passed away at the age of 57 in her home in Colorado Springs, after a brief illness.Melanie Watson opens up about issues with Kathy's characterMelanie Watson joined Diff'rent Strokes in season 3 of the show and played the character of Kathy in four episodes. Some of the most popular episodes she starred in were "Kathy" (1982) and "Kathy's Olympics" (1984).Watson shared about some problems she faced while filming the show. She revealed that her character was asked to walk using crutches, something she was not comfortable with, in order to inspire Arthur's speech.She had a reason for not wanting to walk on crutches, and told Indie Wire that she "did not want to do that." Watson revealed that a few years ago, before she started filming Diff'rent Strokes, she had suffered a bad fall, which made her afraid of walking.Melanie Watson said:"I can remember saying, 'This is somebody else's dream,' but they explained to me this was the premise of the episode."She added:"I'm proud of Norman for going against the norm and doing something... I didn't realize what a gift it was to be the first one out there. If I had to do it all over again, I would have stayed in the business."Melanie Watson played Kathy on Diff'rent Strokes and helped bring attention to children with disabilities. Despite facing many challenges on set because of her brittle bone disease, she remained strong and dedicated to her role. She passed away at the age of 57 in her home in Colorado Springs.Also read: Who was Melanie Watson? All about 'Diff'rnt Strokes' actress as she dies at 57