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Author: Kevin Núñez
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A Disabled Father
Happy Wednesday Good people I hope everyone is having a wonderful week. This week I was planning to do a whole blog about the new rules the Department of Transportation (DOT) is hoping to implement to help disabled travelers when they are traveling on airplanes. I read a few articles and even drafted a few lines, but I wasn’t feeling it. It was written without love. So I went back and rewrote something I wrote back in 2020. All these years later, it’s still one of my favorite pieces of writing. You can find the original version in my first publication, Confessions from DisabilityLimbo. I hope you enjoy it. See you next week!
Exodus 20:12 NIV [12] “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
Hi there, I’m Kevin Nuñez, and I’m all about standing up for people with disabilities in New Jersey. I’ve got Cerebral Palsy, but that hasn’t stopped me from joining state committees to make life better for folks like me and our families. Now, I get it—when you saw the title of this blog, you probably laughed or rolled your eyes. “How could a guy like me be a dad? Can I even handle changing diapers or holding a baby without dropping them?” Sound familiar? You might’ve even thought, “This is too far-fetched. Let’s talk about something else.”
Let’s clear the air. I don’t have all the answers. I’m what you call a “realistic optimist.” That means I know how tough life can be, but I’m always on the lookout for the good stuff. I’m 33 years old, and it’s been forever since I went on a real date. So yeah, the chances of me becoming a dad anytime soon are pretty slim. But here’s the thing: life isn’t just about having all the answers. It’s about the journey, about keeping hope alive even when the odds are stacked against you.
I know not everyone with a disability can have kids. It’s complicated, and I get that. This blog might not resonate with everyone, and that’s okay. All I want is to start a conversation—maybe even one you’ll have at your next family dinner.
Hey, William Christopher,
I’ve been holding onto this until you turned 18 because I want you to know how much you mean to me. I wrote this back in 2020, when everyone was thinking about their lives. It was before I met your mom, back when I had all this love in my heart but no one to share it with. So even though I might not be the perfect dad, I want you to know that I’ve always loved you.
I can’t wait to be there for all your big moments—teaching you to ride a bike, helping you up when you fall. I’m not sure how we’ll figure it all out, but we will. And hey, you’re going to be bilingual—English and Spanish. Trust me, it’ll come in handy someday when you’re filling out job applications.
It’s not going to be easy when people stare at us in public, but you’ve always handled it like a champ. I’m looking forward to watching baseball games with you and having fun wrestling matches, even if you know it’s all staged. Just remember to balance the fun stuff with hard work, and always treat everyone with kindness and respect.
Happy 18th birthday, buddy. Make it a good one.
Lots of love,
Dad Kevin
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Why I Love Wrestling
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SABE, Books, & More
For the first episode of March, Kevin is proud to present this laid-back episode where he simply updates you on the fun times he had in the last few months. This is a different kind of podcast from your favorite little podcaster.
SHOW NOTES
New Jersey Council on Developmental Disabilities
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Life Update February 2024
Greetings readers, are you ready for spring? I know it seems kind of far away. I’m writing this with only a few days left in February. There is still a cold chill in the air. Although spring training games have officially begun, warmer weather must be on the way. I have observed several bloggers doing this by providing their followers with updates on their activities. I wanted to share my exciting upcoming projects with everyone to encourage them that anything is possible, even though it always seemed a bit silly to me. Hey, every few months, the president gives a State of the Union. I may not be the best writer in the world, but I can promise it’ll be better than that.
Mark 9:23 NIV “ ‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”
Let’s start with the health stuff. As of now, I have no major health concerns or upcoming medical procedures. This is really cool because last year I had two surgeries: a hiatal hernia removal and an endoscopy. The hernia revealed a whole bunch of polyps in my upper stomach that were noncancerous. When you have a disability, it always seems like there’s some weird medical thing on the horizon, so it’s nice for now to just enjoy the sunset.
Next update on my advocacy career. I now represent seven states on a national board of directors run by and for people with disabilities. The organization is called Self Advocates Becoming Empowered or SABE click here to read about my initial reactions to joining this organization. For now, I can say it is the most challenging but thrilling adventure of my life. Helping others is what I was made for. I don’t even care about traveling across the country. Truth be told, some days I’d rather be home in bed. I don’t do this for prestige. The day it becomes about that is the day I leave people with disabilities. They should need to be at the table to make a difference.
Finally, I want to recommend something that has nothing to do with disability at all. It’s a very fun and entertaining book called Mox. It is the personal memoir of professional wrestler and sports entertainer John Moxley. Yes, wrestling is partly staged, but they’re still real athletes trying to entertain you. This book teaches you about life in a very different way. You can turn your brain off, but some important nuggets will sneak in there.
I know this is a different kind of blog. I hope you guys still enjoyed it. Thanks for your time, and have a great day. I will see you guys next week.
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Spiritual Novel Preview
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Fighting for One
Happy Wednesday, my wonderful readers. Once again, I hope you guys are having a good day. and I want to thank you for spending a few minutes with me. When you hear the word “fighter,” what’s the first image that pops into your mind? Most likely Rocky Balboa or Bruce Lee if you’re over a certain age. If you’re more realistic, you probably think of Muhammad Ali or Randy Couture as two of the best in their sports. That’s not who I think about. I picture Muhammad Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., and Brad Lomax as people who won impossible battles. They were outmatched, and their lives were in danger. They fought with their words, not their bodies.
I relate to this because I am physically weak. I’m only 5 feet, and I weigh barely 135 lbs. I have Cerebral Palsy (CP) There are a million things I can’t do for myself. I am unqualified to do anything. Instead, I was called and then qualified. The other day, I was asked, “Why do you keep going? What are you fighting for?” I may occasionally have guest writers, but I have done the majority of the work on this website. I created every single social media post. It can be a little frustrating As a content creator, it is very difficult not to look at the numbers to see whether or not my website’s getting traffic. How many listens does my podcast get? I recently added a bonus newsletter for some paid subscribers. I thought this would add a more fun aspect to my writing. I thought people might enjoy this. As of now, I only have one subscriber. So how do I not get lost in the numbers?
I’ve just begun to learn that I was given this disability as a platform, not a weakness. Every podcast, blog, tweet, and keystroke is done with the help of the Holy Spirit. My new goal is just to help one person at a time. There are tons of podcasts, and anyone can make a blog. My hope is that anything I produce can make one person smile. I might not know who they are. I might not know their circumstances. I know they’re warriors like me.
1 Timothy 6:12 NIV 12 Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
The show scandal is famous for the tagline “gladiators in suits.” Well, this is to all my warriors in wheelchairs. My warriors use walkers. My Warriors, who don’t use words. My warriors may have invisible disabilities. our battle is long, and your battle is hard, but we can make a difference. we are the difference. The world sees your weaknesses, but you know your strengths. You grow stronger every day because you overcome more every day. Would God save his best warriors for the easy battles or save them for the ones he needs to win? Don’t give up. Keep going. Don’t look back; keep moving forward. Thank you for your time, and I hope to spend more time with you next Wednesday.
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Online Missadventures
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Life is Poop
In the second episode of February, Kevin breaks down the physical attributes that people try to reach daily. versus his physical reality. In this particular episode, Kevin expresses how he finds hope in the darkest moments. Don’t give up. Look forward and look up. Don’t forget to look up the term “disability hierarchy.”
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A Valentine’s Day Message
Happy Valentine’s Day! I hope this blog brings some joy to your day. Over the weekend, many couples celebrated Valentine’s Day, which is honestly my favorite holiday. Even though we should show love to our friends and family every day, it’s easy to forget in the hustle and bustle of life. That’s why having a special day dedicated to love is so important.
To me, Valentine’s Day isn’t about fancy gifts like flowers and chocolates. It’s more about showing genuine care and support for someone, even in small ways.
Now, let’s talk about something important: advocating for people with disabilities. Before we get into it, I want to be clear. Some people with disabilities may not be able to understand or consent to romantic relationships, and that’s okay. But for those who can, it’s important to challenge misconceptions about what they’re capable of.
1 Corinthians 13:4-5 NIV [4] Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. [5] It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Years ago, people with disabilities were often kept out of sight in institutions. But things are changing, just like they did for the LGBTQ community. It takes time, but education and breaking down stereotypes are key.
Having a disability can make romantic relationships more challenging, but it’s not impossible. It just takes understanding and communication from both partners. There might be people who don’t understand or stare, but love knows no boundaries, whether one or both partners have a disability.
It’s important to see the person beyond their disability. I’ll share links to two couples who are in integrated relationships to show that it’s possible. I promise to keep talking about this topic regularly in my blog because awareness is important, just like having accessible facilities.
I’m sending love to everyone who needs it today, and I’ll see you next Wednesday!
Sources:
Latest Moments of Brightness Newsletter
The Advocacy Life Podcast & Blog 