What is your normal? How do you adjust to a new normals as your family grows or faces unexpected trials? Russel's story is all about thriving in new normals. 

You may not know Russel, but you’ll know parts of his story if you’ve seen the movie, Wonder that came out in 2017 starring Julia Roberts and Owen Wilson. Or read the book Wonder that the movie was based on by RJ Palacio. It's about a boy born with Treacher Collins Syndrome (TCS) and his family. 

Russel is the real dad of that family. He and his wife Magda have been interviewed over the years by many publications about their uplifting and inspiring story. Magda and Nathaniel, Russel's son with TCS, have each written their own books about this concept of being normal. We’ll link to those in the show notes. What is normal? 

And that’s what we’re going to discuss today. Finding or creating Your Family's Normal. Normal is different for each family, and that’s ok. It's up to you to define and create what “normal” means for you. Russel and his family have defined and redefined what normal is for them because of the journey they’re on, not in spite of it. You can too. 

Today’s 3 takeaways or Do or Dies are these:

1. Russel talks about the practice and benefit of compartmentalization. For example, having to interview for a job in the hospital lobby while his son was undergoing a major 16 hour surgery. Stress and emotions were high. Compartmentalization is a skill to help you focus on what’s most needed at any given moment. 
2. For families with special needs, well in truth anyone because our life can change in an instant, try to find a career or company that has your family’s well-being as an integral part of their corporate culture. Russel shares an inspiring story about true leadership the support he received as a brand new employee when Nathaniel was born and he was running back and forth to the hospital before work, during lunch, and right after work. 
3. Russel has 2 sons each with unique capabilities and needs. He shares about the wrestle as a dad to meet the physical and medical needs of his oldest son Nathaniel while not drifting away from his youngest son, Jacob. And on top of that supporting his wife who had stage 4 Hodgkin's lymphoma. He talks about what was more challenging to navigate - the physically brutal medical needs of a child, or the mental and emotional struggles of a child. 

I felt totally inspired by my conversation with Russel. Like he’s just a good down to earth guy. One of the best and you’ll love hearing from him. Let’s bring him in. 

Show Notes

• Nathaniel's Book: Normal: One Kid's Extraordinary Journey
• Magda's Book: Normal:  A Mother and Her Beautiful Son
• Wonder by RJ Palacio
• Wonder the Movie with Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson released in 2017
• Children's Craniofacial Association: https://ccakids.org/
• Russel's contact info:
  • [email protected]
  • Russel on LinkedIn
  • @tcsdad on Instagram

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Music It's Near by DJ Quads