Kevin is a writer, podcaster, and lover of all things pop-culture. Diagnosed with SMA Type 2 at the age of 18 months, he shares a vast array of hilarious and eye-opening stories from his life with a neuromuscular disability. In addition to his weekly columns, he works as the Director of Forums for this site’s parent company, BioNews. Kevin is a graduate of North Carolina State University and lives with his parents in Cary, NC. People regularly mistake him for Tony Stark, on account of his intellect and advanced technological equipment.
In the 1995 drama “Mr. Holland’s Opus,” the film’s titular protagonist confronts a boardroom of school administrators during a pivotal third-act scene. Glenn Holland (Richard Dreyfuss), a longtime high school music teacher, refuses to back down when his superiors declare their intention to eliminate the school’s music and…
Note: This column contains spoilers for the musical “Wicked.” A few weeks ago, I saw the award-winning musical “Wicked” with my sister-in-law. I saw the show back in 2012 with my parents in New York City, and I jumped at the chance to buy tickets when I saw…
In every popular sitcom, there’s always a central setting for the characters to congregate. For some it’s a workplace, such as the Dunder Mifflin branch in “The Office” or the government building in “Parks and Recreation.” Other shows feature a shared living space, such as the geek-decorated apartment in “The…
When I was a kid, I spent many mornings and afternoons sitting on a padded blue bench with a table in front of me. I spent this time playing with my action figures, drawing, and immersing myself in Saturday morning cartoons. Kids, there was a time before streaming services when…
Late August marks the start of a new school year, which still affects me even as a 29-year-old working adult. Though I graduated from college in 2016, my niece is starting first grade, my older nephew starts preschool in a few weeks, and both of my younger nephews are back…
“Hey, buddy, don’t get a speeding ticket!” “When was his last X-ray?” “Oh, wow, you work!” For whatever reason, society loves to infantilize disabled people. It’s practically a hobby for some people, be they medical professionals or middle-aged pedestrians looking to test their comedy skills when they see a wheelchair…
At the latest pop culture convention I attended, I waited in line for 45 minutes on a Saturday morning with a host of like-minded geeks. But the line wasn’t to meet my favorite celebrity, voice actor, or comic book creator. It was just to get on the elevator. Having gone…
On the last day of the annual Cure SMA conference, the closing session is always a panel called “It’s a Wonderful Life.” It features a group of adults with SMA talking about their daily lives and answering audience questions. Its core theme is that there are plenty of…
My 6-year-old niece, Lily, made an astute observation while we were waiting in line at Disney World to get a picture with Daisy Duck. “Is that a person in a costume?” In a place designed to capture the imaginations of children, leave it to Lily to break the spell with…
As a kid, I organized my hundreds of action figures in buckets. I kept them displayed on a wooden shelf next to my bed, and I knew the exact location of each figure and accessory. Anytime the figures were out of my reach, I relied on the patience of…
