Dreaming Beyond Disability: The Ken Kunken Story

Send us a text What happens when a football tackle changes everything? Ken Kunken"s life pivoted dramatically in 1970 when he broke his neck during a Cornell University football game, leaving him almost completely paralyzed from the shoulders down. Doctors delivered a devastating prognosis—they didn"t expect him to survive the week. If he did, they predicted a shortened life in a nursing home. Ken refused to accept these limitations. Just eleven days after hospital discharge, he returned to Cornell—navigating a campus with no wheelchair accessibility—and became the first quadriplegic to graduate from the university. This was merely the beginning of his boundary-breaking journey. Through raw, honest conversation, Ken shares how he earned two master"s degrees and faced crushing employment discrimination despite his impressive credentials. When over 200 job applications went unanswered, he finally found opportunity at Abilities Inc., counseling others with disabilities. But Ken wasn"t finished redefining possibility—he graduated from law school and spent over 40 years as an Assistant District Attorney, even though he couldn"t initially fit through the courtroom doors in his wheelchair. Perhaps most powerfully, Ken opens up about finding love later in life and becoming a father to triplet sons through in vitro fertilization. Now in their twenties and attending prestigious universities, his sons represent the life Ken was told would be impossible. Throughout our conversation, Ken"s philosophy shines through: "Just because something has not been done before doesn"t mean you cannot do it now." His memoir, "I Dream of Things That Never Were," captures this spirit of relentless possibility. Whether you"re facing challenges or simply need inspiration, Ken"s story proves that with determination and support, extraordinary achievements are possible regardless of physical limitations. Subscribe to Glass Half Full for more conversations that challenge assumptions and celebrate the resilience of the human spirit. Please reach Ken: www.kenkunken.com,  kennethkunken@gmail.com. Also, is via messenger connected to facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ken.kunken/) Support the show