I'm proud of the fact that I'm worse than I seem. This used to be my mantra borrowed from the line of an Ani DeFranco song "Grey". But not anymore. 

Life isn't black and white. With nods to the Avett Brothers, Bruce Springsteen, My Cousin Vinny and more I explore my path to acceptance and living with all myself, no matter how it seems. 

Think of all you can convey with a smile, and what happens if it's taken away. 

By the time he was 30, Frank DeBlasi was already a cancer survivor. Now the former college basketball player and current financial advisor has taken on the role of mentor for young people battling cancer, or "ballers" as he refers to them (you'll find out why). It's a role that carries a tornado of emotions, but DeBlasi meets it like a hurricane.

Here's a link to the Baller Dream Foundation

And click here for the August 19, 2021 event in NJ for Johnny Kinney as mentioned in the show

Jason Benetti doesn't look like your typical TV star. That's because he's the first sports TV broadcaster with cerebral palsy. Chris and Jason have a candid conversation about how their lives and careers have been shaped by living with a disability. Amongst the things they discuss, "why you don't need to experience the upper deck", "if you want to be the first, go do it", and "you only do this once, life". 

Show notes:

Jason Benetti feature for CBS Sunday Morning

From "Saving Private Ryan" to Pearl Jam's "Hail, Hail" Chris ponders gratitude, obligation, and what it means to be the person you'd want to help. 

When your best day is also your worst day, how do you find joy and meaning in all the days that follow? Denna Laing is a former woman's professional hockey player, paralyzed in the biggest game of her life. Denna shares her story of resilience and what brings her joy in the days and years following her accident. A former hockey captain at Princeton, Denna leads the way for others with spinal cord injuries and paralysis. Chris and Denna discuss inspiration, adaptation, relationships, and much more. 

Use this link to purchase Denna Laing inspired merchandise, with proceeds going to the Denna Laing Fund.

https://www.bostonpridehockey.com/collections/denna-laing

The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation is a great resource for supporting and learning more about paralysis. 

https://www.christopherreeve.org