Spotlight: Ryan Niemiller

Ryan Niemiller is a stand-up comic who was born with short arms and deformed hands. Referring to himself as the "Cripple Threat of Comedy," Niemiller, who's from Indiana, did theater before switching to comedy. As a person with a disability, he tells jokes from a different perspective about topics such as looking for a job and dating. He was interviewed on Hangin with Web Show earlier this year. (I made an appearance on this show to promote my book UnabASHed by Disability: An Autobiography in 2015.) Niemiller is on tour with stops at clubs and colleges all over the country. He'll perform in Florida later this year (Back Porch in Pensacola on November 16 and Mosey's in Panama City on November 17). Niemiller warns everyone he may be unarmed, but he is dangerous. To see samples of his comedy, look for his videos on YouTube. For the latest information, go to his Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/cripplethreat8/.

Ryan Niemiller

(image via fortwaynecomedyclub.com)

Spotlight: Kirstie Ennis

Kirstie Ennis (who joined the Marine Corps at age 17 in Pensacola, Florida) was seriously injured in a helicopter crash while serving as a door gunner during her last deployment in Afghanistan in 2012. She has undergone almost 45 surgeries, including an above-the-knee amputation of her left leg. Nevertheless, Ennis has stayed active as a rock climber, snowboarder, swimmer, and stuntwoman in movies. She started the Kirstie Ennis Foundation and is a spokesperson for Building Homes for Heroes. A goal for Ennis (who's working on her third master's degree) is to climb the highest mountain on all seven continents. She is preparing to climb Russia's Mount Elbrus, the highest mountain in Europe. To learn more about Ennis, go to https://kirstieennisfoundation.com/.

Kirstie Ennis

(image via twitter.com)

Spotlight: Isaac Lidsky

Actor-turned-entrepreneur Isaac Lidsky was born with retinitis pigmentosa, which caused him to be completely blind by age 25. He starred as high school student Barton "Weasel" Wyzell during the first season of Saved by the Bell: The New Class in 1993. (I realize I'm dating myself here, but I remember Lidsky as Weasel.) He graduated from Harvard with an honors degree in mathematics and computer science at age 19 and then from Harvard Law School magna cum laude. Lidsky is the only blind person to be a Supreme Court clerk; he was also an undefeated U.S. Justice Department lawyer. He founded an Internet technology startup he eventually sold for $230 million as well as Hope for Vision, a nonprofit for the treatment of blinding diseases. In 2011, Lidsky became the CEO of central Florida-based ODC Construction, which he expanded into a $150 million company. He published his first book Eyes Wide Open last year and is a corporate speaker. Lidsky, who recently turned 39, lives with his wife and four children in Windermere, Florida. He's come a long way from his Weasel days. To learn more about this accomplished individual, go to http://www.lidsky.com/.

Isaac Lidsky then and now

(image via cookiesandsangria.com)

Website Spotlight: Understood

Brevard County K-12 students go back to school on Friday, August 10. This is an excellent time to consider learning and attention issues that affect some children's ability to read, write, and/or do math. If these issues are ignored, students will struggle to learn, leading to frustration, stress, and unhappiness. Fortunately, there is a useful website for these students' parents. Founded through a partnership of 15 nonprofits, Understood contains numerous articles and other resources such as quizzes, slideshows, and decision guides. Also on the website are tools like Parenting Coach and Tech Finder and groups in which parents can communicate with each other and experts. Understood aims to help parents understand their children's learning disabilities and obtain information they need to improve the children's educational experience. To access these learning resources, go to https://www.understood.org/en. I wish everyone in education a safe and successful school year!

Understood logo

(image via understood.org)

Spotlight: GROW HUB

Growing Real Opportunities to Work--Harvest of Urban Business (GROW HUB) is a not-for-profit organization founded in 2016 with the purpose of providing employment options to veterans and people with developmental disabilities. GROW HUB is based on Farm to School to Work Hub, a program for Alachua County high school students of varying abilities up to age 22. Entrepreneurs who rent plots of land from GROW HUB to grow food hire program participants, who don't have as many job opportunities as the non-disabled. The organization is seeking volunteers and donations of money and gardening tools. In a partnership with another nonprofit called Working Food, GROW HUB is hosting a craft sale and fundraiser on its property in Gainesville, Florida, from 10:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. on Saturday, August 4. For more information, go to https://www.grow-hub.org/.

A GROW HUB banner

(image via wcjb.com)

Spotlight: Hailey Dawson

Hailey Dawson, an eight-year-old from Henderson, Nevada, was born with Poland syndrome, which left her with three missing fingers on her right hand and a missing right pectoral (chest) muscle. She has a 3-D printed right hand that is held together and controlled with fishing line. The engineering team at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, created the hand, which has to be refitted every few months due to Dawson's growth. To learn more about Poland syndrome, go to
https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/poland-syndrome.

We are more than halfway through Major League Baseball (MLB) season. Dawson's goal since 2015 is to become the first person to throw the first pitch at all 30 MLB stadiums. She got closer to achieving her goal last Saturday when she threw the first pitch at an Arizona Diamondbacks game at Chase Field in Phoenix, her 22nd stadium. Dawson plans to complete her pitches with the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday, September 16. For more details on this story, go to https://abcnews.go.com/Health/girl-hand-closing-goal-throwing-pitch-30-mlb/story?id=56572271.

Hailey Dawson after a pitch

(image via Wikimedia Commons)

Spotlight: Ryan Reed

In 2011, NASCAR driver Ryan Reed was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D), which almost stopped him from pursuing a racing career. He worked with an endocrinologist to figure out how to manage his diabetes during races. Reed, age 24, won the 2015 Alert Today Florida 300 and the 2017 PowerShares QQQ 300, both at Daytona International Speedway. He drives the No. 16 Drive Down A1C Lilly Diabetes Ford Mustang, which contains a drink system and a blood glucose monitor on the dashboard. (A1C is a measure of the amount of hemoglobin with glucose in one's blood.) Reed and his family founded Ryan's Mission, a nonprofit based in Bakersfield, California, that raises awareness about T1D. He recently started the clothing line STGR with fellow NASCAR driver Ryan Truex. Reed came in eighth place last Friday night at Kentucky Speedway. For more information, go to ryanreedracing.com.

Ryan Reed's car

(image via Wikipedia)