Dad to Dad 107 - Mike Carmody Has A Brother With Down Syndrome & Is Co-Founder of Opportunity Knocks

Our guest this week is Adam Goldman of Houston, TX, a real estate investor, serial entrepreneur, coaching consultant and author of the book The Franchisee Lifestyle.

Adam and his, wife, Dori, have been married for 15 years and are the proud parents of five children: Lila (6), Dalia (8) and Amelia (12), as well as twins; Eli and Ariella who were born at 23 weeks, in 2010, and very sadly passed away shortly after birth.

Adam reflects on the harsh reality of some miscarriages as well as losing their oldest children, pre-mature twins, who passed away within a month of their birth. While quite traumatic, it has helped him better appreciate the blessing of having three additional children and the importance of being present.

That is all on this episode of the SFN Dad to Dad Podcast.

Show Notes -
Email – adam.goldman1@gmail.com
Website – https://www.franchisecoach.net/
Phone – (713) 309-6778
Book – https://www.amazon.com/Franchisee-Lifestyle-Future-Better-Think/dp/B07MKP8JW8/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Special Fathers Network -
SFN is a dad to dad mentoring program for fathers raising children with special needs. Many of the 500+ SFN Mentor Fathers, who are raising kids with special needs, have said: "I wish there was something like this when we first received our child's diagnosis. I felt so isolated. There was no one within my family, at work, at church or within my friend group who understood or could relate to what I was going through."

SFN Mentor Fathers share their experiences with younger dads closer to the beginning of their journey raising a child with the same or similar special needs. The SFN Mentor Fathers do NOT offer legal or medical advice, that is what lawyers and doctors do. They simply share their experiences and how they have made the most of challenging situations.

Check out the 21CD YouTube Channel with dozens of videos on topics relevant to dads raising children with special needs - https://www.youtube.com/channe...

Please support the SFN. Click here to donate: https://21stcenturydads.org/do...

Special Fathers Network: https://21stcenturydads.org/

SFN Dads Mastermind Group - https://21stcenturydads.org/sfn-mastermind-group/

Discover more about the Dads Honor Ride 2023 - https://21stcenturydads.org/2023-dads-honor-ride/

Find out about Horizon Therapeutics – Science and Compassion Working Together To Transform Lives. https://www.horizontherapeutics.com/

Our guest this week is Eric Nixon of Lansdale, PA who works for a blood plasma company and is the father of three all with Common Variable Immune Deficiency (CVID), a rare autoimmune disease.

Eric and his wife, Candy, have been married for 33 years and are the proud parents of three: Benjamin (30), Hannah (27), and Daniel (24) all who have CVID, or Common Variable Immune Deficiency, a rare autoimmune disease. Eric also has Multiple Sclerosis and has been on disability for 17 years.

Despite all the family health challenges, Eric has been leading small groups of fathers for years and years. The couple has also been actively involved with Rising Above Ministries and Joni & Friends, two outstanding Christian disability ministiries.

Their family journey has been shared in several books:
"Marriage Ability" by Joan Borton
"Sharing Love Abundantly in Special needs families (the 5 Love Languages for parents raising children with disabilities)" by Gary Chapman & Jolene Philo
"Common Man, Extraordinary Call" by Becky Davidson
"Another Kind of Courage" by Doug Mazza & Steve Bundy
"Unbroken Faith, spiritual recovery for special needs parents" by Diane Dokko Kim
"Real Families, Real Needs. A compassionate guide for families living with disabilities" by Joni & Friends.

It's a uplifting story about faith, a father's commitment to his family and service to others, all on this episode of the SFN Dad to Dad Podcast.

Show Notes -
Email: EJNixon32@gmail.com.
Phone: 267-218-6749
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/eric.nixon.73
Joni & Friends – https://joniandfriends.org/
Rising Above Ministries – https://www.risingaboveministries.org/

Special Fathers Network -
SFN is a dad to dad mentoring program for fathers raising children with special needs. Many of the 500+ SFN Mentor Fathers, who are raising kids with special needs, have said: "I wish there was something like this when we first received our child's diagnosis. I felt so isolated. There was no one within my family, at work, at church or within my friend group who understood or could relate to what I was going through."

SFN Mentor Fathers share their experiences with younger dads closer to the beginning of their journey raising a child with the same or similar special needs. The SFN Mentor Fathers do NOT offer legal or medical advice, that is what lawyers and doctors do. They simply share their experiences and how they have made the most of challenging situations.

Check out the 21CD YouTube Channel with dozens of videos on topics relevant to dads raising children with special needs - https://www.youtube.com/channe...

Please support the SFN. Click here to donate: https://21stcenturydads.org/do...

Special Fathers Network: https://21stcenturydads.org/

SFN Dads Mastermind Group - https://21stcenturydads.org/sfn-mastermind-group/

Discover more about the Dads Honor Ride 2023 - https://21stcenturydads.org/2023-dads-honor-ride/

Find out about Horizon Therapeutics – Science and Compassion Working Together To Transform Lives. https://www.horizontherapeutics.com/

Our guest this week is Robert "Bob" Manganelli formerly of southern California, a photo-journalist and filmmaker, reflects on the joys and challenges of being a father of two deaf children.

Bob and Terrylene are the proud parents of two children: daughter Catalene (19) and son Gianni 'Gio' who lost his hearing at age three and, who very sadly, took his own life at age 23, in March 2014. Bob reflects about the deaf community, Terrylene's and their children's deafness and the intersection of the typically hearing community. He also discusses some of the challenges Gio encountered, including seizures and bipolar disorder.

Bob is a distinguished and well respected photo-journalist, film maker and proprietor of Sundagger Media, LLC. Credits include: "Pennsylvania Photographers," "Waking The Divine," Senator Ted Kennedy's "Inside the beltway," "Listen Carefully," "Seeing in the Dark" ("After Image" 2001), "How to Make an Independent Film: Cameras & Credit Cards" and the upcoming film: "We Were Here" from - Grieving Fathers: Portraits Of Love And Gratitude.

There’s a lot to unpack so we divided his interview in two parts, This is part rwo.

Show Notes -
Email - submissions@robertmanganelli.com
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-manganelli-718a8730/
Phone – (301) 601-6975
Website – https://grievingfathersthemovie.com/about-1
Film We Were Here - https://vimeo.com/754893497/89e45c27a4

Special Fathers Network -
SFN is a dad to dad mentoring program for fathers raising children with special needs. Many of the 500+ SFN Mentor Fathers, who are raising kids with special needs, have said: "I wish there was something like this when we first received our child's diagnosis. I felt so isolated. There was no one within my family, at work, at church or within my friend group who understood or could relate to what I was going through."

SFN Mentor Fathers share their experiences with younger dads closer to the beginning of their journey raising a child with the same or similar special needs. The SFN Mentor Fathers do NOT offer legal or medical advice, that is what lawyers and doctors do. They simply share their experiences and how they have made the most of challenging situations.

Check out the 21CD YouTube Channel with dozens of videos on topics relevant to dads raising children with special needs - https://www.youtube.com/channe...

Please support the SFN. Click here to donate: https://21stcenturydads.org/do...

Special Fathers Network: https://21stcenturydads.org/

SFN Dads Mastermind Group - https://21stcenturydads.org/sfn-mastermind-group/

Discover more about the Dads Honor Ride 2023 - https://21stcenturydads.org/2023-dads-honor-ride/

Find out about Horizon Therapeutics – Science and Compassion Working Together To Transform Lives. https://www.horizontherapeutics.com/

Our guest this week is Robert "Bob" Manganelli formerly of southern California, a photo-journalist and filmmaker, reflects on the joys and challenges of being a father of two deaf children.

Bob and Terrylene are the proud parents of two children: daughter Catalene (19) and son Gianni 'Gio' who lost his hearing at age three and, who very sadly, took his own life at age 23, in March 2014. Bob reflects about the deaf community, Terrylene's and their children's deafness and the intersection of the typically hearing community. He also discusses some of the challenges Gio encountered, including seizures and bipolar disorder.

Bob is a distinguished and well respected photo-journalist, film maker and proprietor of Sundagger Media, LLC. Credits include: "Pennsylvania Photographers," "Waking The Divine," Senator Ted Kennedy's "Inside the beltway," "Listen Carefully," "Seeing in the Dark" ("After Image" 2001), "How to Make an Independent Film: Cameras & Credit Cards" and the upcoming film: "We Were Here" from - Grieving Fathers: Portraits Of Love And Gratitude.

There’s a lot to unpack here so we’re going to hear this interview in two parts, in this first.installment we'll hear how Bob got his start in the business.

Show Notes -
Email - submissions@robertmanganelli.com
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-manganelli-718a8730/
Phone – (301) 601-6975
Website – https://grievingfathersthemovie.com/about-1
Film We Were Here - https://vimeo.com/754893497/89e45c27a4

Special Fathers Network -
SFN is a dad to dad mentoring program for fathers raising children with special needs. Many of the 500+ SFN Mentor Fathers, who are raising kids with special needs, have said: "I wish there was something like this when we first received our child's diagnosis. I felt so isolated. There was no one within my family, at work, at church or within my friend group who understood or could relate to what I was going through."

SFN Mentor Fathers share their experiences with younger dads closer to the beginning of their journey raising a child with the same or similar special needs. The SFN Mentor Fathers do NOT offer legal or medical advice, that is what lawyers and doctors do. They simply share their experiences and how they have made the most of challenging situations.

Check out the 21CD YouTube Channel with dozens of videos on topics relevant to dads raising children with special needs - https://www.youtube.com/channe...

Please support the SFN. Click here to donate: https://21stcenturydads.org/do...

Special Fathers Network: https://21stcenturydads.org/

SFN Dads Mastermind Group - https://21stcenturydads.org/sfn-mastermind-group/

Discover more about the Dads Honor Ride 2023 - https://21stcenturydads.org/2023-dads-honor-ride/

Find out about Horizon Therapeutics – Science and Compassion Working Together To Transform Lives. https://www.horizontherapeutics.com/

Our guest this week is Allan Shedlin of Chevy Chase, MD, who is a father, grandfather, former educator and outspoken advocate for all things related to 'Daddying.'

Allan and his x-wife, Michelle, were married for 32 years and are the proud parents of three adult daughters: Raya, Samantha and Christina as well as grandparents of five.

Allan was a career educator and was founding Executive Director of the National Elementary School Center. He has also been a freelance writer for 39 years with work appearing in; The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, Hearst News Service, Education Week, Phi Delta Kappan magazine, Principal magazine, GRAND magazine, Baltimore Sun, Philadelphia Inquirer, Desert News, Johannesburg Times, and more.

Allan is one of the country's most outspoken advocates for father involvement going back to the 1980s. Allan coined the term 'Daddying.' He leads the Dadvocacy Consulting Group and he curates the Daddying Film Festival & Forum, now in its third year. He also oversees the Daddy Wishes Fund & Daddy Appleseed Fund.

That's all on this episode of the SFN Dad To Dad Podcast.

Show Links -
Email- allan@dadvocacyconsultinggroup.com
Phone – (301) 651-5344
Website – https://www.dadvocacyconsultinggroup.com/
Film Festival Website: https://www.daddyingfilmfest.com/

Special Fathers Network -
SFN is a dad to dad mentoring program for fathers raising children with special needs. Many of the 500+ SFN Mentor Fathers, who are raising kids with special needs, have said: "I wish there was something like this when we first received our child's diagnosis. I felt so isolated. There was no one within my family, at work, at church or within my friend group who understood or could relate to what I was going through."

SFN Mentor Fathers share their experiences with younger dads closer to the beginning of their journey raising a child with the same or similar special needs. The SFN Mentor Fathers do NOT offer legal or medical advice, that is what lawyers and doctors do. They simply share their experiences and how they have made the most of challenging situations.

Check out the 21CD YouTube Channel with dozens of videos on topics relevant to dads raising children with special needs - https://www.youtube.com/channe...

Please support the SFN. Click here to donate: https://21stcenturydads.org/do...

Special Fathers Network: https://21stcenturydads.org/

SFN Dads Mastermind Group - https://21stcenturydads.org/sfn-mastermind-group/

Discover more about the Dads Honor Ride 2023 - https://21stcenturydads.org/2023-dads-honor-ride/

Find out about Horizon Therapeutics – Science and Compassion Working Together To Transform Lives. https://www.horizontherapeutics.com/

Our guest this week is Dave Jereb, of Sydney, Australia an occupational therapist, co-founder of MoveAbout Therapy Services and an author.

Dave and his wife, Kathy, have been married for 17 years and are the proud parents of two children: Harry (8) and Hugo (5).

Dave & Kathy are also co-founders of MoveAbout Therapy Services a multi-location firm that provides individual and group therapy services for children to enable them to participate in the activities of everyday life. They also provide parent coaching, training and support.

Dave is also the author of a new book entitled: Challenging The Story: A Surprisingly Simple Approach to Supporting Children with Challenging Behaviours.

That’s all on this episode of the SFN Dad to Dad Podcast.

Show Links
Email – dave@moveabout.com.au
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-jereb-039b2a4/
Website – https://www.moveabout.com.au/
Challenging The Story - https://www.amazon.com/Challenging-Story-Surprisingly-Supporting-Behaviours/dp/1781338264/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1706629123&sr=8-1-fkmr0
The MoveAbout You Tube Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/MoveAboutTherapyServices

Special Fathers Network -
SFN is a dad to dad mentoring program for fathers raising children with special needs. Many of the 500+ SFN Mentor Fathers, who are raising kids with special needs, have said: "I wish there was something like this when we first received our child's diagnosis. I felt so isolated. There was no one within my family, at work, at church or within my friend group who understood or could relate to what I was going through."

SFN Mentor Fathers share their experiences with younger dads closer to the beginning of their journey raising a child with the same or similar special needs. The SFN Mentor Fathers do NOT offer legal or medical advice, that is what lawyers and doctors do. They simply share their experiences and how they have made the most of challenging situations.

Check out the 21CD YouTube Channel with dozens of videos on topics relevant to dads raising children with special needs - https://www.youtube.com/channe...

Please support the SFN. Click here to donate: https://21stcenturydads.org/do...

Special Fathers Network: https://21stcenturydads.org/

SFN Dads Mastermind Group - https://21stcenturydads.org/sfn-mastermind-group/

Discover more about the Dads Honor Ride 2023 - https://21stcenturydads.org/2023-dads-honor-ride/

Find out about Horizon Therapeutics – Science and Compassion Working Together To Transform Lives. https://www.horizontherapeutics.com/

Our guest this week is Graham Caldow of Brighton, England who is co-founder and a coach at Red Giraffe Solutions, an author and father of two young adult daughters, one who has additional needs.

Graham and his wife, Debra, have been married for 30 years and are the proud parents of two young adult daughters.

Graham & Debra are co-founders of Red Giraffe Solutions, helping plan a better future for young adults with additional needs. They are parents to two young daughters, one of whom has a history of learning difficulties.

Debra hosts the Expanding Worlds Podcast established in April 2017, now with more than 140 episodes, on a broad range of topics for families raising children with special abilities.

More recently, Graham authored the book “What’s Possible?: Plan A Better Future For Your Young Adult With Additional Needs."

It's a fascinating story and we’ll hear it on this episode of the SFN Dad to Dad Podcast.

Show Notes -
Email – graham@redgiraffesolutions.com
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/grahamcaldow/overlay/contact-info/
Website – https://redgiraffesolutions.com/
Book - https://www.amazon.com/Whats-Possible-better-future-additional/dp/1781338078/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1V9RCMI6ZS4OJ&keywords=what%27s+possible+graham+caldow&qid=1700053118&sprefix=whats+possible+gra%2Caps%2C157&sr=8-1
Team Dominica Brighton - https://teamdomenica.com
Portage Pre-School Program - https://www.supportservicesforeducation.co.uk/Services/6203#:~:text=Portage%20is%20a%20service%20for,the%20child%27s%20development%20through%20play.

Special Fathers Network -
SFN is a dad to dad mentoring program for fathers raising children with special needs. Many of the 500+ SFN Mentor Fathers, who are raising kids with special needs, have said: "I wish there was something like this when we first received our child's diagnosis. I felt so isolated. There was no one within my family, at work, at church or within my friend group who understood or could relate to what I was going through."

SFN Mentor Fathers share their experiences with younger dads closer to the beginning of their journey raising a child with the same or similar special needs. The SFN Mentor Fathers do NOT offer legal or medical advice, that is what lawyers and doctors do. They simply share their experiences and how they have made the most of challenging situations.

Check out the 21CD YouTube Channel with dozens of videos on topics relevant to dads raising children with special needs - https://www.youtube.com/channe...

Please support the SFN. Click here to donate: https://21stcenturydads.org/do...

Special Fathers Network: https://21stcenturydads.org/

SFN Dads Mastermind Group - https://21stcenturydads.org/sfn-mastermind-group/

Discover more about the Dads Honor Ride 2023 - https://21stcenturydads.org/2023-dads-honor-ride/

Find out about Horizon Therapeutics – Science and Compassion Working Together To Transform Lives. https://www.horizontherapeutics.com/

Our guest this week is James “Jamo” Myles of Georgetown, Grand Cayman who is father of seven, including two with ASD and who is a coordinator with the Department of Youth Services for the Cayman Islands.

James and his wife, Melissa, have been married for two years and between them they are the proud parents of seven children; his children: Ahmed (28), Jamar (23), Jarrod (23) and Sarah (14) and Melissa’s children; Novano (22), Myra (17) and Jade (13). Both Jarrod and Sarah have Autism.

James is a proud member of the Myles family one of the largest families in the Cayman Islands. We also learn about how his faith has guided him, his Youth Flex Radio program and Inclusion Cayman (formerly the Special Needs Trust) whose mission as an independent, impartial non-profit organization is to: 'advocate on behalf of children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.'

James has an engaging personality and has quite a story to tell. And we’ll hear it on this episode of the SFN Dad to Dad Podcast.

Show Links
Email – James.Myles@gov.ky
Website – https://inclusioncayman.ky/
Phone - 1-345- 922-3652

Special Fathers Network -
SFN is a dad to dad mentoring program for fathers raising children with special needs. Many of the 500+ SFN Mentor Fathers, who are raising kids with special needs, have said: "I wish there was something like this when we first received our child's diagnosis. I felt so isolated. There was no one within my family, at work, at church or within my friend group who understood or could relate to what I was going through."

SFN Mentor Fathers share their experiences with younger dads closer to the beginning of their journey raising a child with the same or similar special needs. The SFN Mentor Fathers do NOT offer legal or medical advice, that is what lawyers and doctors do. They simply share their experiences and how they have made the most of challenging situations.

Check out the 21CD YouTube Channel with dozens of videos on topics relevant to dads raising children with special needs - https://www.youtube.com/channe...

Please support the SFN. Click here to donate: https://21stcenturydads.org/do...

Special Fathers Network: https://21stcenturydads.org/

SFN Dads Mastermind Group - https://21stcenturydads.org/sfn-mastermind-group/

Discover more about the Dads Honor Ride 2023 - https://21stcenturydads.org/2023-dads-honor-ride/

Find out about Horizon Therapeutics – Science and Compassion Working Together To Transform Lives. https://www.horizontherapeutics.com/

Our guest this week is Jonathan Eig, of Chicago, a journalist, best-selling author, father of two daughters and guardian.

Jon and his wife, Jennifer, have been married for 27 years and are the proud parents of two daughters: Lillian (20) and Lola (14) as well as Jeffrey (33) who Jon mentored from Jeffrey's age seven through Big Brothers/Big Sisters before the couple formally became his guardian.

With a degree from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, he began his career at the New Orleans Times Picayune, then Dallas Morning News, Chicago Magazine, and the Wall Street Journal.

Starting in 2005 Jon published his first best-selling biography: Luckiest Man: The Life And Death Of Lou Gehrig. He went on to publish Opening Day: The Story of Jackie Robinson’s First Season (2007), Get Capone: The Secret Plot That Captured America’s Most Wanted Gangster (2010), The Birth Of The Pill: How Four Crusaders Reinvented Sex & Launched a Revolution (2014), Ali, A Life (2017), and King, A Life (2023).

Jon has also written four children's books: ‘Lola Jones Book’ Series: Some Pigtails, Score For Imagination, The D.O.G. and Everybody’s Home.

That's all on this episode of the SFN Dad to Dad Podcast.

Show Notes -
Email – joneig@mac.com
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-eig-b287b15/
Website - https://www.jonathaneig.com/

Special Fathers Network -
SFN is a dad to dad mentoring program for fathers raising children with special needs. Many of the 500+ SFN Mentor Fathers, who are raising kids with special needs, have said: "I wish there was something like this when we first received our child's diagnosis. I felt so isolated. There was no one within my family, at work, at church or within my friend group who understood or could relate to what I was going through."

SFN Mentor Fathers share their experiences with younger dads closer to the beginning of their journey raising a child with the same or similar special needs. The SFN Mentor Fathers do NOT offer legal or medical advice, that is what lawyers and doctors do. They simply share their experiences and how they have made the most of challenging situations.

Check out the 21CD YouTube Channel with dozens of videos on topics relevant to dads raising children with special needs - https://www.youtube.com/channe...

Please support the SFN. Click here to donate: https://21stcenturydads.org/do...

Special Fathers Network: https://21stcenturydads.org/

SFN Dads Mastermind Group - https://21stcenturydads.org/sfn-mastermind-group/

Discover more about the Dads Honor Ride 2023 - https://21stcenturydads.org/2023-dads-honor-ride/

Find out about Horizon Therapeutics – Science and Compassion Working Together To Transform Lives. https://www.horizontherapeutics.com/

Our guest this week is Bob Bourke of Evanston, IL, a retired banker, father of four including a daughter with Down Syndrome and a advisory board member at Misericordia in Chicago.

Bob and his wife, Peggy, have been married for 44 years and are the proud parents of three boys: Bo (40), Matt (36), and Nick (32) as well as daughter, Molly (38) who has Down Syndrome.

Bob had a storied career in banking. We learn about the wide range of programs and services Molly benefited from and that have helped her develop into this bright, vivacious young woman.

Bob has also become a passionate volunteer and supporter at Misericordia, a Chicago based non-profit whose mission is: to provide a continuum of care and support for children and adults of all faiths and cultures who have intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Through the leadership of sister Rosemary Connelly, the past 50+ years, Misericordia provides residency to more than 600 specially abled adults. They also provide the highest quality of care designed to meet each person’s changing needs and maximize his/her independence, self-determination, interpersonal relationships, and engagement in the community. The mission extends beyond the residents as they offer peace of mind to families. Through Catholic values and traditions they strive to be a diverse and inclusive community of acceptance, respect, dignity, spirituality, and quality of life for us all.

We’ll hear Bob’s story and how the apple of his eye, Molly, lights up every room she enters. That’s all in this week’s SFN Dad to Dad Podcast.

Show Notes -
Email – robertrbourke@yahoo.com
Phone – (312) 209-4890
Website – https://www.misericordia.com/
YouTube Video Molly Bourke’s Journey (Misericordia)- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUFaqaA-DYY

Special Fathers Network -
SFN is a dad to dad mentoring program for fathers raising children with special needs. Many of the 500+ SFN Mentor Fathers, who are raising kids with special needs, have said: "I wish there was something like this when we first received our child's diagnosis. I felt so isolated. There was no one within my family, at work, at church or within my friend group who understood or could relate to what I was going through."

SFN Mentor Fathers share their experiences with younger dads closer to the beginning of their journey raising a child with the same or similar special needs. The SFN Mentor Fathers do NOT offer legal or medical advice, that is what lawyers and doctors do. They simply share their experiences and how they have made the most of challenging situations.

Check out the 21CD YouTube Channel with dozens of videos on topics relevant to dads raising children with special needs - https://www.youtube.com/channe... Please support the SFN. Click here to donate: https://21stcenturydads.org/do...

Special Fathers Network: https://21stcenturydads.org/

SFN Dads Mastermind Group - https://21stcenturydads.org/sfn-mastermind-group/

Discover more about the Dads Honor Ride 2023 - https://21stcenturydads.org/2023-dads-honor-ride/

Find out about Horizon Therapeutics – Science and Compassion Working Together To Transform Lives. https://www.horizontherapeutics.com/