Our guest, John Fela, shares his personal journey of raising a nonverbal son with autism and finding his role as a caregiving father—after years of not knowing where he fit in.
We cover:
• How dads process disability differently than moms
• What dads actually need but rarely ask for
• What saved John’s marriage… until it didn’t – and how he rebuilt again
• The emotional cost of “not being the breadwinner” in a special needs family
• The power of a single dad friendship – and why it matters more than you think
Episode Highlights
2:14 – “There’s this huge gap in the support space for dads.”
6:45 – John opens up about growing up with an emotionally absent father and how it shaped his commitment to being present
12:13 – “I had no community. I had to get community.” – John’s “Tale of Two Parking Lots” shows how connection saved him after deep isolation
19:59 – The divorce he didn’t see coming and how support networks made all the difference
32:20 – “If it’s not on the calendar, it doesn’t happen.” – How penciling in self-care and couple time helped protect his marriage
34:37 – “Moms become best friends over wine. Dads need a reason to show up.” – What it takes to build authentic dad groups
48:04 – John shares how local legend Wayne Messmer sang at his wedding and why that gesture still chokes him up
50:00 – The celebrities who quietly support the disability world—and the surprising network John is part of
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