It's amazing what you can do with a positive attitude.

When I started learning to walk at seven years old, many orthopedists who examined me believed that I would never be able to walk normally. At the time, my parents refused to accept this assessment and believed that, one day far into the future, I would be able to walk like everyone else. Recognizing that our attitude should always be shaped by how we choose to live our life rather than reacting to situations, I agreed with the conclusions of a very special orthopedist, Dr. Roy Nuzzo, who helped me understand that my cerebral palsy was only a unique challenge that I could overcome. Accepting this challenge, the realization of this dream took much longer than I expected, but the experience has proven to be a rewarding one. My leg muscles have become stronger so that I can now walk three miles on the treadmill every other day!

Twenty-five years ago, I accepted an invitation to help others in local schools, providing the guidance I could to help students better understand the perspectives of growing up with a disability. I recognized early on that an effective way of eliminating negative stereotypes is to educate young students who are starting to form opinions about the world around them. By sharing personal experiences with humor, and encouraging my young audience to ask questions that can help positively shape their understanding of people with disabilities, I try to instill a sense of hope, energy, and inspiration that motivates them to realize their own goals.

Four years ago, I was fortunate to be invited to a new school district, where I delivered a program to third-graders. One of these students in the audience, I later learned, loves wrestling and skateboarding. His name is Johnny, and he became very excited during the program! He began asking a lot of profound questions (probably because he wanted to impress his mom, who was also attending the program!!). In fact, it was his mom that originally invited me to speak to the third-graders as part of a "Caring Kids" program that the PTA hosts each year in all five elementary schools in the district.

In particular, Johnny wanted to educate himself and share his feelings about growing up with his own disability (asthma) with me and with his fellow classmates. I could easily tell that he had an upbeat personality, as well as compassion, and that may be the reasons why Johnny was always smiling and thinking of the needs of others. For a bright 10-year-old boy to exude this level of confidence and optimism -- qualities that are rare in people at any age -- I can only hope to return half of the inspiration and confidence which he has given to me! Because of experiences like this, you can understand why I visit schools -- to get students excited about themselves, to provide the encouragement and motivation so that they can achieve whatever they want to achieve! There is nothing more personally satisfying to me than to bring a smile to a child's face.

Though this commitment to our children's future is still with me all these years later, it saddens me to see that negative situations have occurred with greater frequency in many school districts. Drug use, cigarette smoking, and unplanned pregnancies are among the pervasive problems facing high school students. School shootings, even among grade-school children, are a new and growing threat among local communities. In reflecting on these problems, there may be a simple solution.

Character development is one of them.

Each building block of character allows you to become more educated about the world around you, and to truly appreciate your uniqueness and the talents of those whom you interact with each day. Don't follow where others have led, but burn a path for others to follow you. And that is exactly where dreams come in. And my own personal dream is to try to eliminate stereotypes by focusing a discussion upon one's capabilities, not their disabilities. In other words, you may have a disability, but the disability does not need to have you!

On behalf of the tens of thousands of students, teachers, and professionals who have since participated in my disability awareness programs, I welcome you to this web site. I have designed this site myself and trust that you will find your visit to be rewarding and worthwhile.

Help us share our vision with others!
We invite you to visit our motivational speakers bureau

and help us bring a genuine smile to a child's face!