Dad to Dad Podcast

On this Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad podcast, host David Hirsch speaks with special Father Juan Vaglienty, a lawyer from Chicago. Juan and wife Anna, have two children with special needs. Amelia, age 9, has Pallister-Killian Mosaic Syndrome, or PKS and Max, age 7, has Down Syndrome. We’ll hear the Vaglienty family story and how religion has been an important part of their life. That’s all on...

On this Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad podcast, host David Hirsch speaks with special father, Dan Morrissey. Dan and his wife Kristin have two children, one of whom, Emily, has Cerebral Palsy. We’ll hear the Morrissey family story including how they started a new business, www. Emilysbracelets.com . We’ll also hear how Emily’s younger brother PJ wrote two books about having a sister with speci...

On this Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad podcast, host David Hirsch speaks with Don Garner. Don and his wife Alisa have three girls, one of whom, Francesca, was diagnosed with a brain tumor when she was 8 years old. We’ll hear Don’s story and how the Make a Wish Foundation granted a very special wish to Frannie and the entire Garner family. That’s all on this Dad to Dad podcast, presented by the...

We’ve talked to over 80 Dads in the Dad to Dad podcast, presented by the Special Fathers Network, and in this episode we present a “greatest hits” version of the podcast. You'll hear many fathers chiming in on why they joined the Special Fathers Network and why being a father of a kid with special needs is so important to them. To find out more about the Special Fathers Network, go to 21stcenturyd...

On this Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad podcast, host David Hirsch speaks with Jon Heckert. Jon and his wife Doris are parents of a son, Jackson, who was diagnosed early in life with special needs. In the Heckert household the word can’t doesn’t exist. Jon makes sure Jackson competes in races and he takes him on hunting trips. Jon is indeed a special dad. As a side note, just prior to this inte...

On this Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad podcast, host David Hirsch speaks with Josh Avis, father of three and cofounder of The Lucky Few Instagram account and podcast. Josh and his wife Heather have adopted three children two of whom have Down Syndrome. Josh and Heather consider themselves among the lucky few to have two children with special needs, in fact, Avis has written a book entitled The...

On this Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad podcast, host David Hirsch speaks with special father Jude Morrow, of Derry Northern Ireland. Jude’s son, Ethan, doesn’t have special needs, Jude himself, the dad has special needs. He’s on the autism spectrum and he’s written a book about his experience which will be available in April 2020. It’s a fascinating conversation and it’s all on this Dad to Dad...

On this Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad podcast, host David Hirsch speaks with special father Steve Mogul, a financial advisor with UBS Financial Services and a father of two children who both have very rare developmental disorders. Hayley, is only one of 19 in the world who has a rare form of Smith–Magenis Syndrome. Bari, is one of only 19 in the world who have a mutated GRIN2B gene. It’s a ve...

On this Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad podcast, Host David Hirsch speaks with special father John Kimec, principal of St. John De Sales, a Catholic High School in Chicago, Illinois. John and his wife Lindsay have five children including Michael who has Pierpont Syndrome and is non-verbal. John and host David Hirsch will talk about the challenges and joys of raising a son with special needs on...

On this Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad podcast, Host David Hirsch speaks with Chad Johnson. Chad is a father of six children and a military veteran with three tours of duty. Chad talks frankly to David Hirsch about dealing with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, while raising 6 kids including Cameron who was diagnosed with CHARGE Syndrome. Chad is also heavily involved with Retrieving Freedom a 5...

This week's guest is Michael Kohler of Lawrenceville, GA, co-founder of Special Kneads and Treats Bakery. Michael and his wife, Tempa, are the proud parents of two young adults, Ashley and Bradley (29) who has Fragile X Syndrome. Michael talks about his faith, family, work and how he and his wife Tempa formed the Special Kneads and Treats Bakery that employs young adults with special needs.  They...

On this Dad to Dad podcast, host David Hirsch talks with special father Jeff Katz. Jeff is the afternoon host of The Jeff Katz Show at News Radio WRVA, in Richmond Virginia. He has three children including Julie who has global development delays and is non-verbal. Jeff tells his life story and why he truly treasures his daughter Julia. That’s all on this Dad to Dad podcast. To find out more about...

That’s Mark Paterson, an executive in the industrial equipment industry, and father of a boy who is autistic. Mark speaks candidly with our host David Hirsch about some of the difficulties of raising a child with special needs. That’s on this Dad to Dad podcast. To find out about Little City go to www.littlecity.org. To learn about the Special Fathers Network, go to 21stcenturydads.org.

On this Dad to Dad podcast, host David Hirsch talks to special father, Cory Estby, the pastor at Zion Lutheran Church in Grant Park, Illinois. Cory and his wife Christena have four children including two adopted brothers who both have Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Hear the fascinating story of how these two young boys became a part of the Estby family on this Dad to Dad podcast. Visit Giftofadoptio...

On this Dad to Dad podcast, host David Hirsch talks to special father, Jim Rigg, the superintendent of catholic education at the Archdiocese of Chicago. Jim has four children including Daniel, who is autistic and diabetic. We’ll hear about the challenges of raising a son with multiple special needs and about Jim’s personal work in helping educate other kids with special needs. That’s all in this D...

In this Dad to Dad podcast host David Hirsch talks to Shane Sondergeld, a doctor from Brisbane, Australia. Shane is a father of three children including William, who was diagnosed with 4Q deletion syndrome, a rare genetic disorder. Shane tells the Sondergeld family story and how having a child with a disability is truly a wonder. That’s all on this Dad to Dad podcast. Find out more about the Speci...

Meet John Crowley, a special father of three kids with special needs. Two of those children have a rare genetic disorder called Pompe disease. John and his wife Aileen were told that Meghan and Patrick would not live very long. So, they took matters into their own hands and helped develop a drug that successfully treats the disorder. They formed a successful RX company, Amicus, whose mission is to...

Host David Hirsch talks to special father, Dan Tepperman. Dan has two boys including 20 year old Scott who is autistic. Dan talks about the challenges and rewards of raising a child with special needs and the family's decision to use Little City (www.littlecity.org) to help Scott thrive and the family to regain its balance. That’s all in this Dad to Dad Podcast, presented by the Special Fathers Ne...

Host David Hirsch talks to SFN Mentor Father, Tom Costello of Frankfort, IL a managing director at Duchossois Capital Management. Tom and his wife, Irene, are the proud parents of twin 17 year-old boys, both with Autism. Tom shares their story and how both boys are blessed with incredible empathy. It’s a great listen and it’s all in this SFN Dad to Dad Podcast. Email - tcostello@duch.com LinkedIn...

John Dodd of Brentwood, TN who is a wealth manager with Ronald Blue & Co. is our guest on this Dad to Dad podcast. John and his wife, Kathleen, have been married for 34 years and are the proud parents of two daughters; Joy (23) and Grace (21) who has Down Syndrome. He’s also had some significant challenges in his life, including his physician father's suicide, but through it all has remained incre...

He’s written and directed some of the funniest movies to come out of Hollywood: Airplane and Naked Gun among them. He’s Jim Abrahams, and he’s our guest on this Dad to Dad Podcast. Jim and his former wife, Nancy are the proud parents of three children, Joseph (35), Jamie (33) and Charlie (27) who suffered from severe epileptic seizures for years. The medications prescribed and surgery performed by...

On this Dad to Dad podcast, host David Hirsch talks with SFN Mentor Father Jerry Castro, of Washington, DC who is a financial industry veteran and Branch Office Manager at UBS. Jerry and his second wife, Catherine, have been married for six years and are the proud parents of eight children: Megan (34), Elise (26), Marlie (24), Elizabeth (24), Jerry, Jr. (18), Carie (14), Jett (10) and Jack who pas...

On this Dad to Dad podcast, host David Hirsch talks with SFN Mentor Father John Felageller of Highwood, IL, a 4th grade teacher and father of 11-year-old Christopher, who is autistic. John and his wife Elizabeth have been through some challenging times but have emerged stronger thanks in part to their involvement an evangelical Christian Church. That’s all on this Dad to Dad Podcast, presented by...

On this Dad to Dad podcast host David Hirsch talks to Shane Lee, of Louisburg NC, a systems administrator. Shane and his wife, Jennifer, have been married for 14 years and are the proud parents of five children: Trey (8), Nathan (6), Asher (4), Kiera (2) and Jocelyn who was born in 2007 and died at age 4 ½ from complications related to SMA Type 1 or Spinal Muscular Atrophy. We’ll hear the amazing...

Our guest this week is Kelly Moynihan of Alberta Canada and Naples, FL a retired oil industry veteran. Kelly and his wife, Kathy, have been married for almost 40 years and are the proud parents of three children: Jackie (34), Sandie (28) and Nickie (32), who has Down Syndrome. Kelly Is involved with Star Ability Foundation in Naples, FL, has some sage advice for fathers of kids with special needs...