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Today on Unplanned, we sit down with Matthew and Paul — an interabled married couple loved by millions for their honest conversations around disability, identity, and life online. Paul opens up about being diagnosed with a degenerative eye disease that will eventually leave him completely blind, while Matthew shares his experience growing up in a strict religious cult and the journey that led him to finally leave.

We also talk about internet trolls, misconceptions about blindness, their dream of becoming parents, retiring a guide dog, and how they’ve built a life centered around creativity, advocacy, and finding joy in the face of adversity.

Matthew & Paul's IG: @matthewandpaul

Paul's Children's Books IG: @paulcastlestudio

Find Paul's books here: https://paulcastlestudio.com/

Find Matthew's music here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/31WEJvJ77B3sv45clvu889/discography/all

Guide dog resource mentioned in this episode: https://www.guidedogs.com/

Follow The Unplanned Podcast:

https://www.instagram.com/unplanned__podcast/

https://www.tiktok.com/@unplanned_podcast

Listen to the pod on Spotify/ Apple Podcasts:

https://open.spotify.com/show/1ToDA4ufQuWuEgMq07zN6t

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-unplanned-podcast/id1669604504

Follow Matt & Abby:

Abby's Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/abbyelizabethoward/

Matt's Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/_matt_howard_/

TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@matt_and_abby

Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/mattandabb

YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@MattandAbby

Chapters:

01:02 - Traveling with a guide dog

07:15 - Retinitis Pigmentosa

11:15 - How we met

15:09 - Breaking up

17:35 - Growing up in the IBLP

30:00 - Escaping the IBLP

33:30 - Dealing with the internet trolls

42:40 - Family planning

46:00 - Coping with grief

53:00 - Getting married

01:00:00 - Retiring our service dog

01:11:30 - Running a marathon as a blind person

01:13:00 - Applying for a new guide dog

01:20:00 - When my guide dog saved my life

01:30:00 - Authoring children's books

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