Columns

Traveling is an important part of life. While many take this ability for granted, it is next to impossible for those like me. I can take advantage of all the other modes of transportation, but airplanes are behind the times. I am unable to remain in my chair…

Surrounded by kids, friends from school, camera pointing at them, masks on, and backdrop chosen. A birthday party is in full force at a venue called Selfie Party Fun in Naperville, Illinois. A full array of activities was going on, most of which Ella can partake in,…

The upcoming film “Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot” by director Gus Van Sant and starring Joaquin Phoenix is already stirring up controversy in many disabled communities. Depicting the life of the late quadriplegic cartoonist John Callahan, the film is just one of many movies…

I like setting goals and making lists of everything I want to accomplish over the next 12 months. But resolutions feel dangerous to me — mainly because I never actually achieve them. I finish my to-do list every day for a week, maybe two, but…

Coming to you, live from my couch and in yesterday’s clothes, this column is all about how I made a mistake. Truth be told, I’m not happy about admitting it. But with these words and with these columns, I made a promise to myself to always show up…

Although we naturally avoid trials, those are what build character. Good times are wonderful, but they do comparatively little to prepare us for inevitable hardships. For me, the most terrifying experience of my life turned out to be the most beneficial experience of my life, both mentally and physically. Let…

“Whoa, Daddy, Daddy!” Ella exclaims as I sit her on her bath chair. “Whoa, whoa, Daddy!” Ella says as I sit her on the toilet. “I’m gonna fall!” Ella offers as she sits on the couch. Now that…

I’m often told by friends that I’m a pretty chill, go-with-the-flow kind of guy. In my podcast group, I’m the peacekeeper, if and when a dispute ensues among my co-hosts. When I was on the editorial staff of North Carolina State’s student newspaper, I was the guy who…

Everyone is shaped by their circumstances, but SMA shapes you (literally) in a more extreme way. For most of my life, I did not understand the difference between my personal preferences and the person I was becoming out of necessity due to the implications of this disease. It has only…

Ava and Henry slept over at a friend’s house across the street. They had Grandma and Grandpa pick them up from school. They thought about Ella and asked how she is doing. They knew Ella would come home from the hospital with a boatload…