Dustin Shillcox is here with us this week. He has been through a lot, and has so much to tell us a teach us! After being in a bad car accident, Dustin walks us through pushing through mentally, people reaching out to him, changing his expectations, being in a new experimental program, and more. Join Jen as Dustin tells her the ups and downs, the people that reached out to him, and what he thinks helped him push through these difficult times.
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Jen: Welcome to the Parents Place podcast with Hillary and Jen. Hello everyone and thank you so much for joining us on the Parents Place podcast. Today we have my favorite week of the month and that is learning about someone's story. So, this is a story of resilience and we are lucky to have our guest who has a pretty remarkable story, so I'll let him introduce himself and hope we all enjoy and can learn some great resilience things that we can apply to our own lives.
Dustin: Alright, well thank you. For having me on my name is Dustin Shilcox. I was in a car accident August 26, 2010. And. It left me paralyzed from the chest down. Paralyzed at a T4. I'm a AJA complete. And I'll tell you kind of what happened that day. So, back before that. I mean I I'm born and raised in Green River, WY, And I worked with my dad. My dad has a couple of different businesses in this in this town and my job at that time was, you know, working with the family, taking over the family business. But on that day, and it was just a normal day, I had gone into work. I was talking with my coworkers and we're getting our jobs ready for the day and I pulled in my work van and I, as I'm looking at it, I'm loading it up and one of my coworkers who looks at my car and says hey Dustin the tire on that front of your car is a little bit low. And it's and I've had it was my job. I was supposed to go there and take it getting taken care of, you know, get new tires on it, get it fixed. But I obviously would just put air in it and just finish the day off. But. That day I said OK, I'm gonna take care of that. I'll get the tire fixed. But that same day, I just bought a I just bought. A brand new truck. So I was going to go over and get my truck and, you know, pick out, you know, go have it paid for and all that sort of stuff on my mind. So I load my truck that work van up and I head out, do my job. And. As I'm over in town, I look at my new truck. They're doing the detail. I mean I it was a brand new Dodge Mega Cab truck at a six inch lift wheels, tires. They were doing all the finishing touches on it and I was going to pick it up that day after work. So, I had to pay for signed the papers and then. I got back on the freeway and I was headed back to my shop and that's when things happened because my front tire on that van, it blew. And it sucked me into the median and I got caught in that cable fencing that runs in between the freeways and I rolled the vehicle and I was ejected out the window because unfortunately, I wasn't wearing a seat belt. And then if so from that point, my vehicles rolled. Over I was ejected out the window. I was going about 80 miles an hour when it happened. The ambulance came there, they picked me up. They take me to Rock Springs Memorial Hospital and when I got there, that's when they found out. Not only was I suffering from a broken back, I had 4 broken ribs. My sternum was broken, I shattered my left elbow. Both my lungs had collapsed and I was suffering from a traumatic brain injury. And because at that time both my lungs were collapsed. They had a an air Med technician because I had to be life flighted to the University of Utah and they had an air Med technician who had to manually breathe for me all the way to the University of Utah and we got to that. We got there about 4:00 in the afternoon. And they spent. You know, all through that night and through the next day just working on me, trying to get me stabilized to the point where I was actually able to undergo my first surgery. And I mean, I spent 16 days in intensive critical care. Before they actually moved me onto that onto intensive care where I spent in their 10 days. So that was that was kind of a rough go for just getting started off on it. And then. So then my family, that they would come in, they'd come see me and I don't. I don't have a lot of memory of my hospital stay from. You know, I wrecked on August 26. And then it was about sometime in the middle or towards the end of October, where I actually started coming around and I knew something had happened to. And my family, they come and talk to me and they say, Dustin, you've been in a car accident and, you know, tell me about my injury. But. You know and a lot of times I'd say, you know, Dustin, you know you're going to, you're going to be fine. This is tough because, I mean, I was in a turtle shell. I couldn't move. My neck I couldn't move my arm everywhere I would go. I was transferred so and I was in such pain, you know. I really wasn't in and plus with my brain injury I just wasn't in any type of understanding of what had happened to me. And so. This. You know, and I did therapy every morning. I go to physical therapy and occupational therapy. But at that time, you know people they started to feed me. I mean, they showered me all that the whole 9 yards I was getting taken care of. And they started coming around to things, I just didn't know what the extent of my injury was.
And this one day, I'm getting ready for physical rehab and my doctor's in my room with the physical therapist, and they're talking about things. That I've worked on and things that we're gonna start working on in the future. And so I just finally said, I said, hey, well, when are we gonna start working on getting out of this wheelchair. And the doctor looks at me and he goes well. Unfortunately, Dustin, I don't think that's going to happen. And so. I said OK, I took a deep breath and I just said. Well, what are the chance of me walking again? And he says. Dustin, you're paralyzed. You're probably never going to walk or stand again. You know, and at that moment, that's when I knew what was on with my injury. That's when I knew it was real and I took myself outside of the hospital. And I wheeled myself out on this patio and I was just looking around and I saw people walking around. I saw. You know, it was. It was a blue sky outside and it was blue sky. And I just remember, you know. How could this happen to me? And this, this lady. Actually, she came out there and sit with me and I feel these arms come around me. She gives me a hug and she said. You know what's wrong, Dustin. Everything OK? And it's actually one of my nurses. Her name was Jody. She was a. She was an amazing girl. I mean, she's got take care of me, big part. Of my life. And she just said no. Everything alright and I. Said no, I was like, no, it's not OK. I said, you know, this isn't fair. What happened to me? And she just, you know, sat out there and talked to me and she said that, you know, it's not fair. But. What happened to you doesn't define who you are, so this wheelchair is going to be a part of your life. But it isn't going to stop what you what you can do and what you're capable of, you're gonna be so much better than this. You know, and at that time, you know, I didn't care. It was just horrible. But I remember her talking to me about that stuff and we sat out there and talked for about 1/2. An hour, then back in the hospital and I started my day, you know.
And it was tough for me to try to realize what had happened and actually the next day I remember the next day, this guy comes into my hospital room. And he says. And I'll never forget this guy because it's just it was a bad day. He goes. Hey, my name is Brent. I'm from magic rest. And he said, I'm here to fit you for a wheelchair and I looked at him. I said I'm OK, man. I was like, I got this, this wheelchair right here. I'm good. And he goes. No, he's like I'm gonna. I'm gonna. I'm gonna give you a wheelchair that you get to go home with. And that's when you know it started mean. What happened the day before for my doctor. And that this guy actually coming to me to measure me for a wheelchair. I mean, he was measuring my legs. He was measuring my waist, my chest all the way around. And like the length and the width of me. And I felt like I was getting measured for a casket. And I was crying. And he was doing this. And he was trying to make it fun for me. Like, hey, what, what color do you want? What kind of? I think they have different wheels and tires for wheelchairs. Obviously I you know and I couldn't handle it. I said I don't care man. I was like just. So I said. Just get out of my face. Get out of here and it. It's because at that time. You know, being in a hospital, I was being taken care of by hospital people. My family would come and see me. And my thought was OK. When I'm when I'm healed, I'm gonna come out of this thing. But. That's when I started realizing, you know, I'm going to be in a wheelchair. And as time goes on, you know, going to therapy, being paralyzed from, like I said, I'm paralyzed from the nip line down at the T4/T5 area. It really showed me what I wasn't capable of doing. I mean, I couldn't. I couldn't really bath myself. I couldn't dress myself. I couldn't. You know, the quality of life that I had at that time at 26 years old was demoralizing it. It was something that I wasn't ready for. And you know, after I finally I was in the hospital for about seven or eight months. And when I finally got out. You know, I went home and I was living with my parents and. That's, you know, my life got ugly. It was just half to have your mom take care of you with my shattered elbow. Not being able to transfer, you know, when I got in that car accident, I weighed about 180 lbs when I left the hospital. I was 113 pounds. And so. There was so much that I had to try to, you know, reconquer my strength back. I had to get my strength back. I had to figure. Out how wheelchair skills. I mean, I had to learn how to drive a car again and starting all that kind of stuff. I was so defeated with my own self, embarrassed with my life.
And you know, when I got out of the hospital, I came back to my parents house in Wyoming, and I was there for about 3 months. And that's when we realized that. That wasn't a place for me. I had to get to a place that offered help for someone with a condition like mine with spinal cord because in Wyoming they didn't have really a treatment place for this. So that's when I moved back to Salt Lake. I moved to Salt Lake City. And that's my. Luckily, my sister was there at the time, and so I was able to move in with her. She could take care of me. I was still doing therapy doing these things. But my sister, she actually her and her husband. They just got a brand new job that made them transfer to Australia. So they were leaving me. I had to get my own apartment and that was. That was my first time actually going from that point. I'm gonna say it's been about a year out, so trying to find it for the first time where I actually can stay by myself. But this was. This is how my day went at that time, after a year after my injury.
I would get up in the morning. I would get dressed, make breakfast, you know, shower, get myself ready for the day because I had therapy. Actually, that started at 11:00 and I have to get up at 7:00 in the morning just so I could be ready for therapy. Because it took me that long by myself to get ready. It was. It was miserable. I'd go to therapy for a couple hours and then I'd come home and basically, I would wait for the next day. There was a lot of. You know, sadness and depression with my life, because basically my life was therapy trying to. You know, get my life back. But it wasn't coming as fast as I wanted to, and it wasn't coming back because I still my injury today. I'm still complete, haven't got any function or regains back from my injury so. Trying to learn that. It was difficult. It was trying to get that, that's, you know, a big part of my life. My cousin, Whitney, you know, I put on. I was, I was really good at being a person who I could smile and everything is OK. Everyone thought I was funny, happy going guy. But deep down inside I was broken. I was. I was sad. I was depressed. I just didn't know how, and my cousin Whitney and her little sister, they would come over a lot and they would make dinner with me. I would go drive around, we would go around drives. I mean, I would love when she'd call me up. Like, hey, you know, just do you wanna go walk around the mall? Just anything to get me out of my apartment. Someone to get me to go do something because I was embarrassed of myself, I was afraid of what I could do. And it was just a hard step for me to get from where I was at. To you know, continue on with my life. Really. I mean, my old friends. And actually my old friends. But my friends that I hung out with before I was paralyzed, you know, everyone was there for me. Everyone would do anything, but I just wouldn't put myself in that situation because I, you know, everything had changed so much. So my life was completely changed.
Jen: I can't even imagine. I mean, just hearing your. Part of just having to get ready, I mean, three hours of all of that just to get ready for the day. I mean that takes a lot. And I'm sure a lot of physical stuff as well as well as mental.
Dustin: Yeah. So the you know the physically, like I said, you know with my elbow, I don't know. I mean, so you can see my. With the elbow here, my elbow is shattered. All the way up the backside so my elbow wouldn't straighten her bend. And so it was just, you know, trying to get ready with this. Plus. You know, not being able to move your legs. I used to. So I would get my clothes. Ready. I would have to, but this is also like I said at the beginning I was a not a I mean, so my injury is a. T4 AJA complete. So I had lost control of bowel, bladder, sexual function, the ability to sweat, so everything was put on a, you know, to figure out how to redo that was. It took a long time and unfortunately with something like that. It took a lot of embarrassing. I mean I have stories that are nightmares. You know, trying to get ready with, you know, doing my bathroom routine and doing all that. And if it wasn't done correctly, you know, going out with my daily life, if I had an accident out on the, you know, in public or something like that. Well. Then you I. Mean, you know, coming home. I mean, just the mental part of. Again, I get 26 years old having that kind of stuff happen to you is not a. It's not an easy thing to adjust to, and so that made it where the safest spot for me was sitting in my apartment where no one could be around me where I was in my own, you know, comfort zone. To try to get like that. So there was a lot of. There was a lot of things of just trying to learn my life that. You know, it did like you said, getting ready in the mornings it. Just that's not something. It's not something like this type of injury I I'd say like it's not something that you can prepare for. It's like mentally and it's not just this injury like, you know, we talk about people with all types of, you know, adversity that people go through and a lot, you know, when things happen in your life, it's not. If you're prepared for it or not. There's a. One of my old teachers that I talked to, I came out and when I first got out of the hospital, him and I are our stars kind of connected somehow. We had a had a lot of communication just for some reason my old high school teacher. And now we're really. We're really good friends today still and. But he was talking to me about a lot of things, and he told me these things and one thing that you know, after talking with him, I told myself. And it was like, because the adversity that he was going through, I was going through and it's like we said, you know, we talked about it's like. It's not where you're going to go from what you had. There's a question that I can ask myself when something happens and everybody else is. What are you going to do now? You know, you can either sit there and I could be depressed. I can keep feeling sorry for myself. That's like I said, I can. I can wipe the tears from my eyes. Or I can work hard and make something happen and wipe the sweat from my brow. It's really your choice on how you want to focus at it. And sometimes you know, it takes that time of. You know it took that time of that first year and a half for me of. You know, having that time to reflect to myself and understand and it showed me what I want with my life. And I knew it wasn't going to come. By sitting around it and feeling sorry for myself and not ready to work for something. Because that's when I. That's when I started changing on you know what I was going to do and. What I was going to do with my life.
Jen: Just, I mean amazing. I can't even imagine. How long did you live by yourself?
Dustin: Well, so at that time, like I said, it was. I was a year and a half after my injury and I applied it. So I live by myself maybe for six months and that so the first year I was with my sister and my mom and got to that point. But then after that I applied for this research program. That was it was for spinal cord injuries. It was going down in Louisville. And I applied for it and what had happened, they had surgically implanted this stimulator in this guy. And he was the first person in the world to get it done. But they were going to take another three participants to keep going FDA approved for three, three people. And so there was a obviously everyone in the country world are trying to get into this program. And I was fortunately, it's. I was fortunately, lucky enough where they my name got picked in there, they flew me out to Louisville and they said, you know, the way they were looking for somebody with my injury. I had only been injured for a year and a half. And so they said, hey, if you're ready and you want to move to Louisville for the next couple of years and be in this research program, it's going to require you to come five days week and basically be a lab test, and we're gonna try to, you know, get success out of this stimulator to try and prove the quality of life for people's spinal cord injuries. And so I took it. I said, yeah, I I want to do it because my thought the my thought at that time was like, oh, man, I'm going to walk again. I'm going to get my life back. I'm going to walk again. So I jumped on that and that was. That was so scary for me because I moved to Louisville. My parents, you know, they helped me move down there, but they obviously couldn't stay. But that was probably another big blessing for me. Because I was moving to Louisville for a couple. Yours. But I was by myself. No one was there to help me get ready. No one was there to help me. I mean, when I was with my family, when my car needed gas, they would go fill it up. When they, you know when it was dinner time, they'd make my plate. When I'd go grocery shopping. You know my mom, they'd get it for me. You know, there was a lot of people that had helped with me. And so when I went to Louisville, like the help was gone. I mean, I had to learn how to become a person independent by myself, just because that was the only option.
And then so I was a part of this. I became the 4th person in the world to get the stimulator and after the couple of years of going and all of that. Now when we turn the stimulator on, I actually I can stand up. I can move my toes my ankles. And it they. They're still working on with lots of, you know, things that that, that, that helps the body like the blood flow, the your blood pressure, your muscle tone it keeps your body so much healthier and, you know, I've realized that obviously I'm not walking today still hopefully that that's going to happen. Either to the stimulation or, you know, somewhere else. But the stimulator, you know it, the way it's improved, my quality of life as far as my overall health, it's helped me regain my bowel, my bladder, my sexual function. It's giving me things back that. You know. I didn't know or everything would happen. And so it's given me a change in my life and so. It's just and now being a part of that is such a, you know, I was so blessed to have that opportunity and now I know it's so important for other people who have spinal cord injuries who have the same complications that I have, that they can get things like this because the way it's helped me physically, mentally and, you know, get my life back. It was. It it's just, you know it. It's a blessing how things work out, and I'm so grateful for that opportunity.
Jen: Yeah, I think that sometimes we forget when hard things happen or we go through adversity that. You look back and you see all the pieces that fell right in place during that time of hardship. Yes. Everything else is hard, but there's so many little pieces that are coming together to help in that situation as for everyone going through hard stuff, I mean that's for me when I look back through my hard times in life, it's like, why couldn't I see those little pieces while it was happening? It's always when you're looking back.
Dustin: Yeah. Yeah, you know. And it's important, I think you know as you said I thought, you know, like my cousin Whitney, her little sister Annie, my aunts, my uncles. But there's people I even talked to about that nurse. You know, those stories that come up and they resonate in my head and it's like, I think it's important when you see people like that in your life when you're going through trouble, you know, to tell them thank you for that. Because they are there for a reason, like you said. Are you know and that's why. When you see when you see. Someone going through a struggle or going through? A problem whether like me, you know, I was smiling and you wouldn't have thought there was a problem in the world with me. But it it's really important to be kind to one another and help out because you never know what someone's going through. And what? What kind of impact you can have in their life?
Jen: Yeah.
Dustin: And, you know, I've had a lot of people who have. You know, through my through my process have changed my life just because of who they are as a person. And I'm so grateful for that, you know, and. I think it's important for all of us to give that same care and kindness to other people.
Jen: So, what do you feel like were the strengths that you had prior to the accident that helped you get you through that process? What were some things that just helped you along?
Dustin: You know, so through my, through my life before my accident. You know, I had a good, supportive family. I had good friends. I think what helped me out the most. Through that it is having the people in my life that that I care about and you know they care about me, but it's also. Who believe in me, you know? And my dad, you know, like and my mom. I had a I had a good work ethic, you know, working hard and it's like. There's so much things that. I have in my own life that helped me. Get to where I am because. I feel like that. Like, again like when I was saying before it was, I had the mindset of I've always had a mindset of working hard for something. If you want to work and get it, it's just the problem was. That mine was always working for my dad's business. Working for this. You know, I was. I was the type of person that liked to work harder, play harder. So, I mean, I like to work hard. I had a boat. I had a truck. I had Harley-Davidson motorcycles. I had, you know, I had a dirt bike. I had four wheels. I had camper. I had all that stuff. I loved. I was a huge outdoorsman. I love that kind of stuff. So I worked hard for that. So I could do that. I had to put my own self in a mindset though that my same dedication to working hard. Now it wasn't proper. I mean, I still, I still ride snow machines. I still, you know, have a side by side. I have a camper. I have a big truck now. I still have all that stuff back, which is kind of funny. I'm back into the same person. I have to do things differently and it's not like how I used to, but I still do as much as I can, but I had to have that same. I had to give so much drive and so much work and to learning how to get dressed and to learning how to live out of a wheelchair. And it's not something that I wanted to get my energy to, but I think it's just because of all the way I was raised before my life that I had that that I was able to change my life into the better of how it is now.
Jen: Yeah. We talked to lots of people. About their stories and whatnot. And. It. There is a common thread through each and every one of them, and that is the people that are around them and the importance of having that support system with them and it just. It makes me stop and think, OK, who's around me? What relationships can I build a little bit better so that if I do go through something super hard that I have that good support system with them. And so, it's just amazing how that's the common thread through everything.
Dustin: Yeah, I agree. I think people you know, you have people in your life, but it's also the ones you turn to as well because. You know, I had people in my life that I had. They're still here. But they're not the right people for me to hang out with, if that makes sense. I mean, I have it, and you're because you're not going to have a perfect. You're not gonna have a perfect line of people in your life and say, OK, I'm gonna cut these ones out. I'm gonna cut these out. I think it's how you associate and how you involve your life in with people like that. I mean, I know the people that I shouldn't be with, who I shouldn't go doesn't mean I really can't be their friend, I guess. But it's. You know it's not where I want to focus, so I want to keep doing better with myself if I want my health back. If I want to get this, I know where I shouldn't go. I mean, it's just. Like you said, I mean it's like you have the people and that's really, what makes a big difference is who you want to surround yourself with. You need to, you know, you're in control of who you want to hang out with and who you want to have an impact in your life. And so it's. It's your thing, you know, it's. It's just, yeah. Because, you know, it's not just this just my being in a wheelchair. You know, I had a wheelchair or my car accident and this has been a huge piece of adversity for my life, but I've realized also, like 12 years of being a wheelchair. But sometimes I have. I have struggles now that I feel like we're. You know, I talk about my struggles now and then I'll be like, oh, yeah, I on top of that, guess what? I'm also paralyzed. I still have to worry about that too. You know. It's like it's just it's just normalcy. So it's not just, you know, it doesn't have to be a wheelchair to have these huge changes in your life and changes. That's gonna, you know, put you against the ground. I'm just going to say it real fast, like, actually. So I've been going for about a year and a half now. And we're far from over. But unfortunately for me, so I I was, uh, I'm going to go back a little bit, but. In 2017 I got married and I have two kids. And I have a great life to it. You know, just something again. I never thought I'd get to, but now about a year and a half ago unfortunately, I'm going through a divorce and. It's. You know it. It's a whole another line. To. You know, I've had to, you know, get a different house, you know, losing vehicles and losing. Your home relocating, you know? Struggle with the kids and you know and. That kind of stuff, it's just. It's a nightmare, you know, and so there's a lot. It's a nightmare, you know, going through this thing too, it's. Again, like you know, having people to help you through the support having like this, but like, I feel like I have so much issues and so many struggles with that alone. And then I'm like, Oh yeah, don't forget guys, I'm paralyzed too. You know. There's. I'm just saying there's so, so it's like. You know, life happens and it's just like I was saying earlier when, no matter what the situation is or what the struggle is, it's what are you going to do now how? Are you going to keep? On you know, how are you going to react to your adversity? How are you going to control it?
Jen: So, was there do you feel like there was anything other than your family and your friends that supported you that helped you get through this process?
Dustin: Yeah, yeah, I mean. Yeah, there there's. There's countless people. When I moved to Louisville, I ran into some, uh, I met some people down there that were, you know, meeting people along the way. I've also, I had the opportunity, I I've worked with the Christopher Reed Foundation. I've worked with Red Bull. I've had just because the owner of Red Bull's best friend, his son, got paralyzed. So they have a foundation called “Wings for Life. I was an ambassador for them. Uh speaker. Like I was saying for the Wings foundation, but getting interconnected with different people. And I think, like, you know, by not giving up by because of the people in my life that have helped me. That gave me opportunity to keep pushing forward and then get connected with new people, new opportunities. And if you take that when you take opportunities to keep going, it grows you and then you know, yeah, I have lots of people I can think that I'm happy in my life. Even you know my doctors. The people in the research. Just new friends that I've made and. You know, and it just continues to grow. Because I feel like of the people that I surround myself with and continue to, you know, make new faces.
Jen: So what are some big takeaways that, I'm just thinking like, how can people takeaways that people can apply to their lives? Like, what are some of those little golden Nuggets that we can give people of hope? Just of positivity and things like that.
Dustin: I think I think. For me especially, you know, as I've gone through. You know, normal, normal adversity, like a lot of people go to and everybody, everybody is going through something, a struggle. Everybody has. You know, struggles probably, whether it be financially, whether it be divorces, you know, health, death in families. I mean there's so many things that. You know people. You know that deal with on a daily basis and I feel like it's, you know like again it's being positive with yourself, knowing that you. You know. What are you going to do with your own self? What are you going to do? Who are you going to put your people in your life? I think it's just. You know, to me, I feel like it's coming back and telling everybody that, you know, being kind to one another and being supportive for each other because everybody has it and not comparing your situation to somebody else is and it's just, you know, instead of trying to. You know. I guess pick apart someone else's life. You know, I feel like that's something that people do a lot nowadays is, you know that you can. Look at someone else's situation and you know. Say all your two cents about what they're going through and what they should do different, but you know it's more important to be their positive for somebody and. You know, helping them out and doing the same for yourself and somebody else.
Jen: Yeah, I always have to remember. That people have crapped behind their doors that they're not showing anyone else. And they can put on the good face. But when they walk through that door, there's where all the hard stuff is. And I feel like we as people get really good at putting on that face, and not dealing with or being the ostrich that sticks their head in the sand, says. I'm not gonna deal with that. But is if I can remember and stop. You know, everyone has something behind their door. And then you're a little bit more empathetic, a little bit more patient. And willing to be kind and helpful in all of those things.
Dustin: Yeah. I agree.
Jen: So, is there anything else you would like to leave with our listeners that you feel like would? Bring maybe just some hope or what not when we're going through trials?
Dustin: Yeah, it's I think, first off. I you know. For the people that listen to these podcasts and the stuff like that. It's always a. It's always good and sometimes to me, I feel like it's motivating to hear other people's stories. What they go through but. When I when I think about it, cause I. When I talk with people and they'll say that you know, and for some reason I think like man, I really hope you walk again. I hope you get out of wheelchair and I do too. I hope that, you know, I hope everybody gets. Out of, you know, hypothetically speaking, like I hope every gets out of their wheelchair. And does that, but it's also. You know, everybody's story is important. Everybody has their struggles and I appreciate the people that do listen to my story and that they say it's motivating. Because. I have came through some really ugly hard things that are, you know, things could have easily went in a different direction. And I know people have the same type of things just because. It's not, you know. In a wheelchair, it's not being paralyzed at the same type of things that. You know, I I've talked to people and I've heard their struggles of what they're going through. It's like, you know. I wouldn't trade. I wouldn't trade my struggle for theirs because you know. I just know you know, I I've made my life. I'm happy with my life. You know, I wish I wasn't in a wheelchair. But man, I'm a happy person. I have a lot of things I'm blessed for and I'm grateful for my life. I think I have a huge appreciation for life. And I think other people. You know, with that same mindset, because their stories. Are inspirational to me when I see what people are going through, so I think everybody has that and I just hope that if my story helps inspire somebody to know that. Just because they're not going through this, but you know everybody's going through a struggle, but it's just keep on doing it and keep on, you know, being strong. You know, cause everyone can. Everyone can. Everyone can do this stuff, you know? It's like being there for one another and helping out. I hope it helps people.
Jen: Yeah. I want to thank you so much for coming on our podcast and sharing your story, and I believe with every story that we hear, it's going to touch at least one person and that is our mission at the Family Place is just that, starfish. That one person matters. Yeah, you're an incredible inspiration and. And I'm so grateful that you were willing to come on our podcast today.
Dustin: Yeah. Thank you for having me. I appreciate it. And yeah, thank you guys for. List the people who listen to this. And you know, yes.
Jen: All right, everyone. Well, I want to thank you for joining us today. Hopefully, you were able to get some of those little pieces that you can apply to your life and just kind of strengthen you during hard times. And remember to be kind to yourself and be kind to others. And we will see you back here next week.
Thank you for listening to the Parents Place podcast. If you would like to reach us, you can at parents@thefamilyplaceutah.org or you can reach Jen on Facebook. Jen Daly - The Family Place. Please check out our show notes for any additional information. Our website is thefamilyplaceutah.org .If you're interested in any of our upcoming virtual classes, we'd love to see you there.
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