Accessibility isn’t a courtesy — it’s a civil right.

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Kristy Durso—accessible travel advocate, travel agent, wheelchair user, and co-founder of Spectrum of Accessibility—to unpack what public accessibility really looks like and why travel remains one of the most exclusionary experiences for disabled people.

Kristy shares her life before becoming a full-time wheelchair user, the emotional and identity shifts that followed, and the moment she realized the world itself—not her disability—would be one of her biggest barriers. From “technically accessible” spaces that fail in practice to travel nightmares that put safety and dignity at risk, this conversation pulls back the curtain on what most people never see.

We also explore where accessibility is done right around the world, where it falls painfully short, and how education within the hospitality industry can be a true game-changer. Through her work with Spectrum of Accessibility, Kristy is helping hotels, airlines, and venues move beyond checklists toward lived-experience inclusion that benefits everyone—disabled travelers, aging populations, families, and businesses alike.

This episode is equal parts truth, accountability, and hope—and a clear call to action for both disabled and nondisabled listeners.

If you travel, work in hospitality, or care about inclusion, this is a conversation you need to hear.

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This is one of those episodes that stays with you long after the microphones are turned off.

This conversation goes where disability conversations often don’t—into the quiet, heavy places. We talk about depression. Anxiety. The mental and emotional toll of disability that so often gets overlooked once the hospital stays end and the equipment is delivered.

Our guest is Mike Kent, a Disability Life Coach and the founder of Empowering Disability, a global community of more than 9,000 members who are navigating life after injury, trauma, or diagnosis.

Mike’s work goes far beyond motivation. Through Empowering Disability and MPower Coaching, he helps people confront anxiety, rebuild confidence, and rediscover their sense of worth—especially in the aftermath of life-changing events. He understands that the hardest battles aren’t always physical.

But this conversation doesn’t stop in the darkness.

Mike challenges us to look deeper—not at what was taken, but at how we respond to the cards we’re dealt. He reminds us that while disability may change the path, it does not erase purpose, value, or the ability to build a meaningful life.

His message is clear and powerful: Disability is not the end of life. It’s an invitation to reclaim life—on our own terms.

This is an episode about honesty, resilience, and the strength it takes to keep showing up when the world feels smaller than it used to. If you or someone you love has ever struggled with the mental weight of disability, this conversation is for you.

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⚠️ Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of gun violence, physical assault, and traumatic injury. Listener discretion is advised.

Joseph Huerta’s story is one of brilliance, hardship, survival, and hard-earned faith. A top graduate in his class, Joseph’s life took an unexpected turn after family separation led him into homelessness, living in a tent city and navigating daily survival. What began as an act of kindness—being offered a place to stay by someone he trusted—quickly turned into a dangerous and life-altering situation.

Joseph is a survivor of a violent home invasion. He was beaten and assaulted, and while running for the door to escape, he was shot in the back with a .40 caliber bullet. The impact shattered his spine at T11, leaving him paralyzed. In a moment that still echoes today, Joseph begged for his life as his attackers held a gun to his head.

In this episode, Joseph speaks candidly about his early days in rehab, where he believed a back brace might allow him to walk again, and how the reality of paralysis set in. He shares how fellow patients—more than the clinical team—became his greatest teachers, helping him understand life in a wheelchair and how to truly adapt.

After rehab, Joseph returned to California to live with his father, where new challenges emerged: ongoing battles with insurance, medical discrimination, and the harsh reality of managing a Stage 4 pressure wound that he has lived with for over three years. Rather than staying silent, Joseph turned his pain into purpose.

Motivated by those who supported him in rehab, Joseph created his YouTube channel “Quick Tips,” where he answers real-world questions about activities of daily living for wheelchair users. He also launched his own clothing line, using creativity as another outlet for resilience and expression.

Joseph opens up about how anger initially fueled his drive—but ultimately caused more harm than healing. At his lowest point, he turned to his faith, crying out to God for a sign—one that unmistakably came true and was captured on video.

This episode also dives into honest, practical conversations around sex and intimacy after paralysis, wheelchair cushions, pressure relief techniques, and living with dignity despite constant obstacles. Raw, emotional, and deeply human, this is a powerful conversation about survival, accountability, faith, and finding meaning after everything changes.

This is Joseph Huerta’s journey—and it’s one you won’t forget.

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At just 12 years old, Giusiana Prosser began experiencing medical symptoms that would change her life — symptoms that were dismissed, minimized, and misunderstood for years.

After being told it was “all in her head,” Giusiana never stopped advocating for herself. At 19, she was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, and at 21 with Andersen–Tawil Syndrome, finally giving a name to what her body had known all along. Today, she also lives with a tethered spinal cord.

Now a artist, rare disease advocate, motivational speaker, and Ms. Wheelchair Washington USA, Giusiana uses her platform to challenge misconceptions around disability and share a powerful truth: “Rare isn’t rare.”

In this episode, Giusiana opens up about growing up without answers, the emotional toll of not being believed, and how self-advocacy became her lifeline. She also shares how art, purpose, and resilience continue to shape her journey — including her upcoming path to Ms. Wheelchair USA 2026 and her artwork being featured at the Kennedy Center.

This is a story about finding your voice, demanding to be heard, and choosing to live fully — even when the world doesn’t make it easy.

🎧 Press play and meet Giusiana Prosser.

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Tyler Keller, whose journey is rooted in grit, faith, and resilience. Tyler grew up on a small farm in Michigan, surrounded by rodeo culture—both of his parents were professional rodeo athletes, as were his older sisters. Following in their footsteps, Tyler competed at a national level, earning rodeo scholarships to Lamar Community College and later Northwestern Mesa College, where he continued to compete at an elite level.

Everything changed in February 2015. During an early-morning drive through the dangerous Douglas Pass near Grand Junction, Colorado, Tyler lost control of his vehicle, crashing through a guardrail and plunging more than 180 feet. Miraculously, his vehicle landed on a ledge, preventing a further 2,000-foot fall. Severely injured, Tyler remained trapped in the wreckage for six to eight hours before emergency crews could reach him.

Tyler’s road to recovery began at Craig Hospital in Colorado, where he underwent intense rehabilitation for his T4-T5 complete spinal cord injury. In this episode, he opens up about the physical and emotional challenges he faced, the victories along the way, and the unexpected role the hospital’s garden played in his healing and mindset. After being discharged, Tyler continued therapy five days a week for three years at the Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan—refusing to give up on himself or his future.

Today, Tyler’s story is far from over. He is a Division II Detroit Pistons wheelchair basketball player, an entrepreneur, a paid motivational speaker, actor, model and an active participant in shooting competitions with the Battle Buddy 3-Gun nonprofit organization. Tyler’s journey is one of perseverance, purpose, and redefining what’s possible after life changes in an instant. This is a story you don’t want to miss.

In this episode, we sit down with Frances “Fran” Esteves, an Occupational Therapist with nearly 19 years of experience serving students across the Rio Grande Valley. Fran shares how her lifelong connection to movement — from dancing with a semi-professional ballet company to teaching classical ballet in North Dakota and coaching rhythmic gymnastics in McAllen — shaped her passion for working with children of all abilities.

She reflects on her years teaching general and adaptive PE for Edinburg CISD, the moment she discovered occupational therapy, and how school-based practice became her calling. Fran talks about the realities of working across public, charter, and private schools, as well as in pediatric clinics in both Hidalgo and Cameron counties.

Throughout the conversation, Fran offers insight into what students truly need, the challenges therapists face in schools, and why supporting kids’ functional skills is her life’s mission. Today, she continues that mission full-time with a local district — and she brings all that experience to this powerful, inspiring episode.

Episode Description — Season 1 Finale: “The First 15”

In this special season finale, we hit pause and look back at the journey that brought us here. From powerful comeback stories to raw, unfiltered conversations about resilience, purpose, and real-life struggles, we revisit the first 15 episodes that shaped Season 1.

Join us as we reflect on the lessons learned, the guests who left a mark, the moments that surprised us, and the stories that pushed us to grow. We share behind-the-scenes insights, our honest thoughts, and what this season has meant to us both personally and as creators.

As we close out Season 1, we celebrate how far we’ve come — and get ready for what’s next. Whether you’ve been here since episode one or just discovered the show, this finale is the perfect way to wrap up the journey so far.

At just 17 years old, Charlie Merritt made a promise — to serve, to lead, and to never back down. Following in his father’s footsteps, he earned the title of United States Marine at Parris Island, beginning a journey defined by grit, discipline, and heart. After eight years on active duty and four in the reserves, Charlie carried that same intensity into life beyond the Corps — playing semi-pro football, competing in strongman events, and running his own company.

But one dive — on what seemed like a perfect day — changed everything. A routine jump into the water ended in a catastrophic neck injury, leaving Charlie paralyzed from the shoulders down. He coded twelve times. Doctors didn’t expect him to make it. But Marines don’t quit.

What followed was a comeback story unlike any other — a story of faith, family, and the power of purpose. Charlie turned pain into purpose, founding Stand Up For Me, a nonprofit that provides adaptive equipment for people with disabilities. He also found healing through music, writing 15 original songs — including “Me Without You,” a tribute to caregivers performed by Jelly Roll.

Today, Charlie continues to lead by example — advocating for veterans, studying to become an ATP, and reminding the world that standing tall has nothing to do with walking.