We’re on-site at the Abilities Expo in Schaumburg meeting Samantha, a freshly graduated 18-year-old heading to UIC who speaks with clarity about independence, dignity, and the everyday design of an accessible life. This isn’t inspiration theater. It’s practical courage: how to choose a major, compare campuses, and advocate for accommodations while keeping joy and curiosity in the driver’s seat.

Samantha walks us through life with a rare distal SMA, explaining her mobility in simple, honest terms and the mindset shifts that help her move from can’t to how. She opens up about navigating high school among mostly able-bodied peers, finding friends who lead with respect, and attending MDA camp where perspective deepened into gratitude. We talk candidly about ramps and elevators, yes, but also about the less visible layers of access: seating layouts, syllabus flexibility, communication with professors, and the social cues that make classrooms feel human. Her plan to start at UIC and possibly transfer to UIUC illuminates the real calculus many students with disabilities face—community versus proximity, services versus cost, growth versus comfort.

Family runs through this conversation like steel cable. A sister who turns visibility into pride, a mom who scouts tools and options, and a veteran dad whose philosophy is simple and strong: you can do hard things, differently.

Samantha’s message is one to carry: you’re not alone, it might be harder, and you are more than what meets the eye.

Press play for a grounded, hopeful take on college accessibility, disability advocacy, and resilience you can use. If this resonated, follow the show, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs proof that independence has many paths—and all of them start with your voice.