Welcome back to The Advocacy Life Podcast! In this crucial episode, "The Wheelchair Tool," we are bridging the gap of understanding between the public and mobility devices.

Host Kevin Nunez addresses common misconceptions and misunderstandings about wheelchairs, clarifying the difference between an electric wheelchair and a scooter.

Key Takeaways in this episode:

Tool, Not a Toy: A wheelchair is an expensive, customized life tool, not an accessory, handbag, or luxury item. Kevin's new chair, for which he's been fitted, costs between \$50,000 and \$60,000.

The New Chair Goal: Kevin shares his goal of getting a new wheelchair with a rise function to allow him to speak and interact at eye level, and to reach higher shelves.

Wheelchair Etiquette 101: Learn the dos and don'ts of interacting with someone in a wheelchair:

Never hang off the back or push the chair without permission.

Never grab the joystick.

Stop the overused, disrespectful jokes like, "How fast does that thing go?".

Defense Mechanism: Kevin discusses how the wheelchair serves as his only defense in public, even during an active shooter drill.

Maintenance & Health: The importance of regular servicing, and how being vigilant (like Kevin) can help prevent pressure sores (which are preventable, unlike what happened to Christopher Reeve).

Be respectful, be kind, and realize the person in the chair is just trying to live their life the best way they can.

Episode Transcript

https://turboscribe.ai/transcript/share/8457760100267752062/wmlNVLD4RKnq15t6xT7_ZC8Fqyt3qGD_oniImTCAIPI/tal-s4-e2-the-wheelchair-tool

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Welcome back to The Advocacy Life Podcast and Vlog! We are kicking off 2026 with a brand new season of episodes, focusing on what truly matters: Gratitude and Goals!

Host Kevin Nunez is back after missing November and December (life happened, including a kitchen remodel and he's bringing quality over quantity by switching to two high-quality episodes a month.

In this episode, Kevin gets personal, sharing what he's deeply thankful for:

Family and Friends: A huge shout out to the family (Dad, Mom, Stepdad, etc.) who help set up the podcast equipment, and to friends—the initial reason he started podcasting.

Growth: Being thankful for the podcast evolving from sketchy cell phone recordings to a fully-developed show, and for hitting 200 subscribers on theadvocacylife.com alone!

Health Victories: Celebrating a major victory in 2025: the first year in about five years without any surgeries or major hospitalizations.

Small Connections: Sharing a major connection made at a state function that led to sending in a resume for a potential staff position with Governor-Elect Mikey Sherrill.

Then, he lays out his ambitious goals for 2026:

Writing: Finishing his third book, the conclusion to the Living Beyond Disability series, which focuses on Disability Policy 101 for self-advocates.

Personal Victory: Buying new clothes and new accessible Billy Shoes—a huge deal after losing weight and dealing with the constant battle of finding shoes that fit orthotics.

Social Life: The deeply personal goal of making a real, close friend to talk to more regularly.

Episode Transcript

https://turboscribe.ai/transcript/share/4836865999870251777/-RSP64PDdqblEDJmK-nf3q09PHSVtyz6ZQFpKGTXb4w/tal-s4-e1-goals-and-gratitude

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Description

False hope can be a comforting lie, but it often leads to greater disappointment. In this powerful and incredibly honest episode, Kevin Nuñez tackles the sensitive topic of false hope within the disability community, sharing his personal experiences and why he believes brutal honesty, paired with empathy, is essential.

Evin recounts his own childhood experiences with doctors and therapists who gave his family false expectations about "walking again," only to face repeated letdowns He argues that this practice, often well-intentioned, can be more damaging than helpful, especially for children who internalize these unfulfilled promises as personal failures This isn't just about physical rehabilitation; it extends to broader societal interactions where people offer empty reassurances about things they don't understand

This episode challenges us to rethink how we support and communicate with individuals with disabilities[cite: Kevin advocates for a balance of empathy and realism, pushing for genuine understanding over platitudes He asks why we celebrate minimal progress instead of recognizing the full, complex lives people with disabilities lead, and stresses the importance of fostering self-love and self-respect in a world that often measures worth by physical ability.

Show Notes

• New Jersey families support planning councils https://njcdd.org/the-regional-family-support-planning-councils/

• Mom to Mom hotline https://mom2mom.us.com/contact/

• NJ SPAN https://spanadvocacy.org/

• Episode Transcript TAL S3 E 17 Disability and Parenting.docx

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Living Beyond Disability book series

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F1H7DM4Z?binding=paperback&ref=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_pc_tpbk

https://advocatekevinnunez.wordpress.com/moments-of-brightness-newsletter/

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