Real Unfiltered Dad Journeys

Daniel Defabio is no foreigner to being on a podcast or film, or anything because his journey as dad has meant that he wants to share his story about Lucas and Menkes disease to everyone. We jump right into how we as dads can battle with not letting our tears out, which is such a great way to start! We discuss how it is really hard for dads to find connection with other dads, especially in his cas...

Andy joins me this week from the US. Almost 3.5 years ago Reily became the 3rd member of the family, and 15 mins after her arrival into the world, the doctors were letting Andy and his wife know that she had Down syndrome. Andy is real about he processed that news as he opens up about life. This is real talk about how us dads need to try and maybe open up and just talk to other dads in the waiting...

So Jamie is 15 and like almost all parents we say to ourselves the same thing- I can’t believe it. Well I think this year I feel a little different and less stressed about it. I previously would get anxious and stressed because of multiple reasons. Listen in to get some. So one thing is for certain, cake will be consumed and Junko and I will celebrate once the both boys are asleep with some refres...

We are back to the USA this week to hear Edwin share his real journey as dad to Thiago. We talk about how challenging it was, and with how he and his wife found out there was a high possibility their first child would have downsyndrome…. in the carpark outside the hospital. COVID played a big role in the journey and added to the challenges after only just moving to the US from Mexico. Early interv...

Brook Seal became a dad in his early 20’s which was not long after he lost his own dad. Now at 38, he and his wife sport a family of 5 kids, the most recent is under a month old now. His second youngest is Ziggy who is now 7 suffered a cardiac arrest just 2 days old, which resulted in a serious brain injury. Brook tells me how he got through himself and how he came up with the idea to help the kid...

Ra joins us from Melbourne, Australia where you never know what weather you can get on a daily basis, which is often like our lives as dads to kids with special needs. Ra shares his journey with his two boys who have both been diagnosed as autistic with ADHD, the eldest Wyatt 8, and Cole 6. We hear about how the first diagnosis of Wyatt came about and then his brothers and how that looked for Ra a...

Mark joins me in person with Carl online for a chat about how they are traveling in life. Carl and Mark were both previous guests (see links below) and both of them have kids with Downsyndrome. We also have lived in Japan for an extended time which gives us a unique perspective on life here and back home. Our Mental health comes up in convo along with how inclusion of our kids is in school. We sha...

Casey Parks shares how it all began with Ford back almost 6 and a half years ago. There were difficulties from day with one Ford, but the doctors seems uninterested. He and his amazing wife Effie Parks, who is a huge rare disease campaigner (https://effieparks.com/) knew that something was not right with Ford from day 1. Casey talks about how he as dad, husband has dealt with the world he now live...

Garry has an amazing son- Christopher. Christopher has CP, diabetic and is quadriplegic. Garry dedicated his life to being there for him until Christopher asked his dad to… ‘just be my dad’. Garry talks honestly and openly about his journey of acceptance and the immense love he has for Christopher. While some guys check out when they are faced with being a dad for a child with disabilities/special...

I talk about the last 46 days of my world with Jamie and the family. It has been a pretty tricky start to the year for me health wise- colds, ribs, flu.. but laughs along the way too. Optimistic that things are just going to get better.

Listen to Ted talk about his journey as dad to Leo who is 9 and Autistic. Ted lives here in Japan like myself. He tells me how over the last few years his marriage has fallen apart and he now puts all his energy and love (which you will hear) into Leo who now doesn’t go to school. He quit last last year in 2022. Schooling has been really tough for Ted and Leo, with Ted offering to go into the scho...

Rob shares his journey as dad but it’s different, like most of dads stories are. He talks openly about his own mental health journey and his self admission into the Mental health hospital a few years ago which was a step he originally wasn’t sure if it would do anything. Well it did, and he talks about it here. Rob shares his experience and how he deals with life as dad and how the gym and meditat...

Kicking off as the shows first dad of 2023, is Chris. Twenty seven months in to being dad to Bodhi, Chris shares his road this far. From when they got the pre birth diagnosis of downsyndrome, Chris read a ton of books (along with his wife), and talked to friends and friends of friends about how downsyndrome is. This ultimately allows them to decide to go forward, and not terminate. It’s a decision...

Douglas shares how when Micah was born there were tough times, it was touch and go at the start. He talks about what we wants for Micah at school, how the school system is like a brick wall so often.

It’s been amazing and insightful… let’s carry on in 2023.

Frankie and I have a few things in common. One of these is it took him 11 years to realize he needed to take care of himself mentally and physically. Like so many of us dads, we are so in the zone of being the caregiver/caretaker of our special needs children, that we can’t even see what damage we do to ourselves. Frankie recently arrived at the acceptance phase of Nico’s diagnosis of Dravet Syndr...

About 6 months ago they got Jacks diagnosis, and all the mile stone talk prior to that, well just went out the window and this made things tough and tricky for Mike. After I reached out to him, he heard me talk about the poem ‘Welcome to Holland’ which has allowed him to see where they are and give some perspective of mental processing of it all. Faith has been a big part of Mikes life and he’s ho...

I met Joe over 20 years ago in London and he remained a true friend and mate over the years, and to hear him talk about challenges he faced and still faces as dad to 7 children by 4 women, it definitely comes with regrets, reflection and ownership of what has happened. We get into a talk about ‘the bubble’ we find ourselves in, it’s a new analogy which I have used which is fun to think about. He g...

FULL EPISODE-Adam joins me to tell me about his journey becoming a dad to his child with extra needs. I heard Adam on the podcast ‘Once upon a gene’ https://open.spotify.com/episode/2WlydzeiQRVsusEuJxYOu2?si=Vw1MN61gQc-1PDGDhCPMYg and I decided I would like to talk with him about his ‘dad story’. Adam and I start chatting away about life in general, and a few real world challenges like trying to b...

Part 2 of 2 is when Adam talks about one of the most challenging and monumental moments in his and his family’s lives, the loss of Lola 4 days after Alfie was born. He tells us how he got through and how they continue to talk and celebrate Lola’s life. It is very much part of the grieving process that’s for sure. I give him so much credit for how he has is still is dealing with what life has throw...

(This is part 1 of a 2 part episode) Adam talks about his road to being a dad with his first- Daisy who just turned 7, then they had Lola. That’s where life took many many turns-He talks about how after so many hospital visits with Lola due to her seizures they were able to manage things at home with medication, and avoiding ambulance rides at one point about 15 times over 3 months. He gives an in...

Carl and his wife adopted 2 Down syndrome kids a few years ago. Both are just under 10 now. It’s been a real ride and it’s only just getting started. He talks about his frustrations in how he can’t really do much when the kids come back with bruises here and there. With kids who are non verbal, we feel we should or need to do more in this situation. Sometimes we just can’t. He really likes and lov...

Tommy comes back for a catch up and we talk about life and it’s ups and downs.

Casey is the father of two beautiful daughters, West and Rose. He’s a divorced dad who is so driven to find a cure for Rose so she can fully enjoy their lives in Texas. He talks openly and honestly, and one of the ways he can full his cup, which It has to be done and we all need to do something like this. He shares how he treasures a moment after bath-time with Rose daily which really is like the...

I had not really planned on an episode this week, but an opportunity raised its happy head. After him singing in the shower (which you will hear) left the bathroom and then returned to him laughing, found he had turned the water to cold and was enjoying the cold shower. Then I had to wrestle him for the shower head as he was determined to shower me with it, it was a moment I needed to laugh.. he m...