Tim

By most accounts, including my own, I shouldn't be here today. I've spent every day of my 40 years of life fighting to be seen, heard, respected, and more.

I’ve done a lot while living with cerebral palsy, much of which was never expected for me. I skied mountains and climbed them too. I have two degrees that helped me carve my own path through two different careers. My journey has included ten surgeries, being a husband and a parent, navigating transportation without driving, doing youth ministry for a decade, traveling North America, becoming a librarian and advancing to the top of my field. I did all of that living with Cerebral Palsy. I’ve had the opportunity to speak publicly about living with CP twice and they are the top highlights of my professional life.

Living with CP has defined many aspects of my life and influenced all of them, but like all humans, I’m multidimensional. It’s important to me that people see and accept my CP, while also giving me the space to define my own limits. I want acceptance of the CP instead of the caretaking or invisibility that I usually experience. I want people to know that there are different types of CP and each person’s experience is unique. I will always have CP, it didn’t go away when my childhood was over, and it won’t get worse as an adult – but I do experience it differently as an adult then I did as a child and a teenager.

I’ve written over a hundred original songs – I love to write. I enjoy reading, philosophy, deep conversation, and pro wrestling.

I have spastic diplegia CP.

I don’t remember a time when I didn’t know that I had CP, so I’m guessing I was diagnosed in infancy but don’t know for certain.

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