Tanner Keegan Read
Tanner Keegan Read
Healing Your Mind After You're Paralyzed with Ken Kunken
Healing Your Mind After You're Paralyzed with Ken Kunken
Healing Your Mind After You're Paralyzed with Ken Kunken
Tuesday 5th August 2025
Join Ken Kunken as he shares his inspiring journey of resilience, overcoming paralysis, and advocating for disability rights and mental health recovery.
Explicit
63 minutes
inspiring
hopeful
challenging
motivational
informative
About this podcast
Author:
Tanner Keegan Read
Overview:
Categories:
Recovery Reimagined
Family Recovery from Addiction
Understanding Addiction & Recovery
Body & Mind
Financial Health in Recovery
Links:
Visit site
Episodes:
181 (View all)
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Get the buttons here!Resilience Beyond Limits: Ken Kunken's Journey
Episode Overview
- Ken Kunken became the first quadriplegic to graduate from Cornell University.
- He overcame depression and societal perceptions with strong family support.
- Ken advocates for disability rights and encourages employers to see potential in people with disabilities.
- He built a 40-year career in law and became a deputy bureau chief.
- Ken's story is a testament to resilience and living a fulfilling life despite challenges.
A broken body doesn't mean a broken spirit.
In this episode of Retrieving Sanity, host Keegan welcomes Ken Kunken, a remarkable individual whose life story is a testament to resilience and unwavering determination. Ken was a promising football player at Cornell University in 1970 when a devastating spinal cord injury left him paralyzed from the shoulders down. Despite this life-altering event, Ken refused to let it define his future negatively.
Ken shares how he became the first quadriplegic to graduate from Cornell University, earning both his undergraduate and master's degrees. His journey didn't stop there; he went on to study at Columbia and Hofstra Law, building a successful 40-year career in the Nassau County District Attorney's Office. Ken's story is not just about overcoming physical limitations but also battling the emotional and societal challenges that come with such injuries.
With the strong support of his family and friends, Ken navigated through periods of depression and societal perceptions about disability. He emphasizes the importance of recognizing and cherishing the help received from loved ones, which played a crucial role in his journey to recovery and success. Ken's advocacy for disability rights is profound, encouraging employers to recognize the potential of individuals with disabilities and offer them opportunities.
His memoir, 'I Dream of Things That Never Were,' serves as a beacon of hope and a blueprint for resilience, justice, and purpose. In his personal life, Ken is a proud father and husband, celebrating the joy of family despite his physical challenges. His story is inspirational, showing how the depths of despair can lead to pinnacles of happiness and success.
Ken Kunken's journey is a powerful reminder of the strength of the human spirit and the transformative power of support and determination.