November 13, 2024 • 34 mins
Can you imagine overcoming immense physical challenges to achieve your dreams? In Episode 214 of Late Boomers, Merry and Cathy welcome the incredible Ken Kunken. Despite becoming a quadriplegic after a football injury, Ken defied the odds to earn four college degrees and become a groundbreaking trial attorney. His memoir, "I Dream of Things That Never Were," is a testament to resilience and the power of family. Join us as Ken shares his journey from Cornell to the courtroom, the love story with his wife, Anna, and his inspiring work with the disabled community. Tune in for a story that proves nothing is impossible!
Kenneth Kunken's Bio:
Ken Kunken broke his neck playing football for Cornell University in 1970, leaving him almost totally paralyzed from the shoulders down. After a lengthy hospitalization, Ken returned to Cornell where he completed his undergraduate degree in engineering. Ken then earned a Master of Arts degree at Cornell in education, as well as a Master of Education degree at Columbia University in psychology.
Ken became a nationally certified rehabilitation counselor. He worked for more than two years at Abilities Inc., where he provided vocational and placement counseling to severely disabled individuals.
Wanting to accomplish still more, Ken enrolled in Hofstra University’s School of Law. Ken then worked for more than 40 years as a Nassau County assistant district attorney, where he became a Deputy Bureau Chief.
Ken is married and the father of triplet boys.
“I Dream of Things That Never Were: The Ken Kunken Story” was published in 2023.
Connect with Ken:
Website: https://kenkunken.com/
Ken's Book: "I Dream of Things That Never Were, The Ken Kunken Story"
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61566473121422
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenneth-j-kunken-b4b0a9a8/
Thank you for listening. Please check out @lateboomers on Instagram and our website lateboomers.biz. If you enjoyed this podcast and would like to watch it or listen to more of our episodes, you will find Late Boomers on your favorite podcast platform and on our new YouTube Late Boomers Podcast Channel. We hope we have inspired you and we look forward to your becoming a member of our Late Boomers family of subscribers.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Merry (00:01):
This is the EWN podcast network.
Cathy (00:14):
Welcome to Late Boomers, our podcast guide to creating
your 3rd act with style, power,and impact. Hi. I'm Kathy
Worthington.
Merry (00:24):
And I'm Merry Elkins. Join us as we bring you
conversations with successfulentrepreneurs, entertainers, and
people with vision who aremaking a difference in the
world.
Cathy (00:34):
Everyone has a story and we'll take you along for the
ride on each interview,recounting the journey our
guests have taken to get wherethey are, inspiring you to
create your own path to success.Let's get started. Hello. I'm
Kathy Worthington. Welcome toour 5th season of late boomers.
(00:57):
Today, we are excited tointroduce you to our special
guest, Ken Kunkin. He has 4college degrees, is a lawyer who
spent 40 years with the NassauCounty Long Island DA's office,
a motivational speaker who hasinfluenced the lives of people
with disabilities, and thefather of 3 boys who are
(01:18):
triplets. Recently, he became anauthor, publishing his memoir, I
dream of things that never were,the Ken Cuggan story.
Merry (01:28):
And Ken is the 1st quadriplegic to have graduated
from Cornell University and thefirst to earn a, graduate degree
there. While still a student, hetestified before a United States
subcommittee on health care chedchaired by then senator Edward
Kennedy. His life'saccomplishments and accolades
(01:49):
are many, including the Kennethj Kunkin award presented to a
Nassau County assistant DA whopersonifies Ken's commitment,
spirit, and love of trial work.Welcome to Late Boomers, Ken. We
wanna hear about your journeyand how you defied the
overwhelming odds.
Ken Kunken (02:09):
Oh, thank you so much. Thank you for having me as
a guest, and thank you forgiving me the opportunity to
tell my story.
Merry (02:17):
Perfect. Are excited to hear about it.
Cathy (02:20):
Please tell us about your early life and about what led
you to the path you're on today.
Ken Kunken (02:26):
Okay. Well, I think what might be most relevant is
that in 1970, at the beginningof my junior year in college at
Cornell University, I wasplaying on their lightweight
football team. In a in a gameagainst Columbia University, I
broke my neck and severelydamaged my spinal cord, making a
(02:48):
tackle on a kickoff in a gameagainst Columbia University. And
as a result, I'm almostcompletely paralyzed below the
shoulders. I have a littlemovement in my left arm, but
nothing in my fingers or wrist.
And on the right side of mybody, I can just shrug my
shoulder a bit. So I spent thenext 9 months 20 days in various
(03:12):
hospitals and rehabilitationcenters before I returned to
Cornell to continue myeducation. Wow.
Merry (03:20):
Yeah. Well, that that must have made you a little bit
depressed. And and Very much so.Yeah. I mean, your life
certainly didn't go as youplanned, whatever it was you
were planning.
I know that you studiedengineering, but I have to ask
you, what kept you going afteryour injury and and also what
keeps you going now?
Ken Kunken (03:40):
Well, without a doubt, family. Family, family,
family. When I got hurt, myfamily just really came together
and helped me in every possibleway they could. And when I say
family, I'm not just talkingabout, you know, my father,
brother, or sister. I'm talkingabout aunts, uncles, cousins.
(04:04):
The extended family all wereincredibly helpful to me. And
they basically assured me,without saying the exact words,
that they would act as my armsand legs to make sure I could do
everything I wanted to do, andthey've done just that. So
without a doubt, early in myearly early after my injury, it
(04:27):
was the family I just mentioned.And now more recently, not only
that family, but my incrediblewife, Anna, and my triplet sons.
Cathy (04:38):
Mhmm. So beautiful.
Merry (04:40):
Wow. Well, I do have to ask, how did did you battle
depression to for those peoplelistening who may have similar
problems or are are in bed andcan't get up, and perhaps they
need a dose of inspiration?
Ken Kunken (04:57):
You know, it it was a lengthy process. I can't say I
snapped out of my depression atany particular time. It took
quite a while. But during thetime that I was in rehab, my
family was constantly visiting,constantly by my side, and
constantly assuring me thatthere was still a lot I could do
(05:18):
with my life. And they motivethey motivated me, they kept my
spirits up, and they helped inevery way they could.
And, you know, after a while, itwas clear to me they were doing
so much on my behalf to help methat it was almost as if I felt
like I would let them down if Ididn't keep my spirits up and
(05:41):
tried to do as much with my lifeas I possibly could. So, it
definitely is all attributableto them, and I can never thank
them enough for all they'vedone.
Cathy (05:52):
Wow. You were inducted into the Susan m Daniels
Disability Mentoring Hall ofFame. So how important is it to
you to give back and mentorothers, and how has that
actually helped you?
Ken Kunken (06:08):
You know, it's really, really important. And I
might add that before I wasinducted, I worked for a couple
of years as a vocationalrehabilitation counselor at
Abilities Incorporated on LongIsland, which at the time was
part of the Human ResourcesCenter, and it's now called the
Viscardi Center. And I workedthere as a vocational
(06:30):
rehabilitation counselor for alittle over 2 years, and I just
loved the work, and I just founda new way that I could help
people and serve the community.And that did wonders for me as
well personally because afterbeing the recipient of so much
help for years, now I was ableto provide help. And that made
(06:55):
an enormous difference.
And I'm so proud to say thatwhen I left there, 30 years
after I left, the president ofabilities incorporated called me
on the telephone and asked me tobe a member of their board of
directors. So I so happilyaccept that I've been so honored
to serve on the abilities and,first, on their board of
(07:17):
directors and then morerecently, on their parent
company, the Viscardi Center'sboard of directors. And I have
to add that when I say howhelpful and supportive my
family's been my whole life, mycousin, Roy Danis, who was one
of the people that has alwaysbeen so helpful to me, is now
chairman of the Board ofDirectors at the Viscardi
(07:37):
Center. He's taken such aninterest, not only in me, but
helping others withdisabilities, and it's so
gratifying to see.
Cathy (07:46):
That's so beautiful. Were you ever able to meet other
quadriplegic people who werevery young as you were when it
happened to you?
Ken Kunken (07:56):
Mhmm. Yeah. I met people, well, first at the
Viscardi Center, but also when Iwas undergoing rehabilitation. I
was at the Rusk Institute, and Imet a number of individuals who
were injured early in theirlife, usually late teens, early
twenties. So I got to meet,interact, and speak with quite a
(08:18):
number of people who wereinjured similar to me.
Although, quite frankly, most ofthem had more movement than I
did. It was very rare that I metsomebody with as little movement
as I had.
Merry (08:31):
You must have been very inspiring to them. And and talk
a little more about your workwith, people with disabilities
of all ages. And, I understandthat you're also a motivational
speaker. Do they coincide, or isthat a separate thing that
you're working on?
Ken Kunken (08:49):
Well, I worked for a little more than 2 years as a
vocational rehabilitationcounselor. In fact, I passed an
exam where I was working as acertified rehabilitation
counselor. And I did that at theViscardi Center where I would
help people who either hadsevere disabilities or were
dealing with life alteringdiseases or just basically
(09:13):
facing a lot of challenges intheir life. And I helped provide
them with not only vocationaland placement counseling, but
personal adjustment counselingas well. And I found that very
rewarding, and I enjoyed it verymuch.
And one of the things that I didon behalf of the center was I
(09:33):
spoke to groups before groupsand organizations on affirmative
action and nondiscriminationconcerning people with
disabilities. And often after mytalks, I would be asked
questions about the topics. Andwhile I'd certainly do my best
to respond appropriately, I wasalways really careful to caution
(09:54):
the questioners. They shouldreally speak with a lawyer about
their concern. And I guess itwasn't long before I started to
think, you know, there's noreason why I couldn't become
that lawyer.
So I left the center after alittle more than 2 years and
went to Hofstra UniversitySchool of Law. And I might add
that the head of the ViscardiCenter, doctor Henry Viscardi
(10:17):
junior himself personally wrotea letter recommendation for me
because he appreciated what Idid at the center, and he felt
there was still more that Icould do to help others. So I've
always been very grateful to himfor that as well.
Merry (10:32):
Do you have any stories you can tell us, about somebody
that you worked with who whoperhaps might have been battling
depression as you were and cameout of it because of your work
with him or her?
Ken Kunken (10:47):
Well, there are quite a number of people that I
worked with over the years whotold me that as a result of
things that I was doing, itmotivated them to do more with
their lives. And I might addthat that didn't just apply to
people with disabilities. Youknow, when I was working at the
district attorney's office, Iwas often told when people went
(11:12):
through their exit interviewswhere they were asked what did
they like best about the job,what did they feel could be
improved about the job, thatmany of them mentioned meeting,
getting to know, and workingwith me. And now, I don't say
that to boast or to brag. I Iknow they weren't talking about
meeting and getting to know KenKum Kim.
(11:33):
They were talking about meetingand getting to know a person
with a significant disabilitybecause they, unless they had a
close relative with adisability, usually didn't come
in contact with somebody on adaily basis with a disability.
And I think it was a revelationfor them that, at least for the
most part, I had a positiveattitude and a pleasant
(11:56):
disposition and that it did notmean any additional work for
them. They saw I was a hardworker and was often more
productive than many of thepeople in the office. But if you
wanna mention one person, Iwould mention a fellow by the
name of Robert Papia who went tothe Henry Viscardi School. He
was born, and early on developedmuscular dystrophy.
(12:19):
He also uses an electricwheelchair. And he credits me,
he said a number of times, thatI was his inspiration to
eventually go to law school. Andafter he graduated law school,
he worked for the town ofHempstead for a while, and then
he became a Nassau CountyDistrict Court Judge.
Merry (12:39):
Oh. And Oh my goodness.
Ken Kunken (12:40):
Bench now for more than more than 8 years now. And
he has said many times that he'scredited me with inspiring him
to do what he's doing. So I'mvery proud of that. And in fact,
Rob and I now both serve on theViscardi Center board of
directors.
Cathy (12:59):
Great. That leads me to my next question, which is a
perfect lead in because I wantto ask you to tell us your
thoughts on having highexpectations for yourself and
for others.
Ken Kunken (13:12):
You know, that's a great question because when I
was in the rehab center, itseemed like everybody's
expectations were so low forsomebody with a disability.
Cathy (13:23):
It
Ken Kunken (13:24):
seemed like almost any disability. Mhmm. And I was
able to get a hold of a pamphletthat was put out by the rehab
center, and they talked aboutwhat type of careers somebody in
my condition could eventuallydo. And the only career I saw
for somebody who was asquadriplegic at my level would
(13:46):
be to someday sell magazinesubscriptions over the
telephone. That seemed to be thebest they thought I would ever
be able to do.
And while at that time, Icouldn't even dial a telephone,
they were rotary telephones,would take notes or write
anything, I was determined to domore than that. And with my
family's help and help frompersonal care attendants and
(14:08):
fellow classmates, I was able tocontinue my education. And I not
only got my undergraduate degreein engineering, I I decided that
what I really wanted to do wasto work with and help others who
were dealing with either, youknow, life altering diseases or
significant challenges in theirlife. So, I stayed at Cornell,
(14:31):
and I got a master's incounseling and student personnel
administration. And then Iincreased my counseling
credentials.
I went to Columbia Universitywhere I got a master's degree in
psychological counseling andrehabilitation. And that's where
I decided that I wanted to workwith people doing rehabilitation
counseling and helping otherswho were dealing with these such
(14:54):
significant physicaldisabilities. And I really,
really enjoyed working there fora number of years before I
decided that there was stillmore I wanted to do, and that's
when I went to law school.
Cathy (15:07):
But kind kind of along those lines, somewhere in that
training was when you adjustedyour your own viewpoint and
said, I'm going to have higherexpectations for the people
around me?
Ken Kunken (15:19):
You know, absolutely. You know, as I was
going through the schooling and,you know, internships and the
work at the Viscardi Center,there were times it was almost
as if I was looking in themirror and counseling myself
since I saw so many people withthe same needs, concerns, wants,
(15:41):
and desires that I had. And itjust made me feel better about
myself that I could help them.But I have to say before I was
hired, I had to look for a jobfor a year. And I sent out more
than 200 resumes becauseeverybody seemed to feel I was
just too disabled to work.
And I was even turned down whenI left to volunteer my services
(16:04):
back there, but I knew I couldwork. And all I was looking for
was the opportunity to show thatI could work. And that holds
true for so many people withdisabilities. We just want the
opportunity to show what we cando. And I believe once we're
given that opportunity,employers find that people with
(16:25):
disabilities are some of thehardest working, most loyal, and
dedicated employees an employercan ever hope to find.
Yeah.
Cathy (16:34):
And how did you meet your wife? I have to ask.
Ken Kunken (16:38):
Actually, my wife is from Poland. And when I was
looking for a personal careattendant to help me on the
weekends, I put an ad in thePolish daily news, which is
published here in the States.And my wife was here for a while
trying to improve her lingEnglish speaking skills, and she
(16:58):
saw the ad and responded to helpme on weekends because she felt
that would help her learnEnglish better by spending time
with somebody who was Englishspeaking, who could speak to her
on a daily basis in English. So,you know, she applied to work as
my weekend attendant, and themore we got to know each other
Merry (17:21):
The longer she stayed.
Ken Kunken (17:23):
Developed and improved. And lo and behold, we
got married in 2,003. And in2,005, we became the father of
triplet boys.
Merry (17:34):
Oh, I have chills and goosebumps. That's one what a
great story. I love that for allof our people that that
listening and watching outthere. Even if you if you
haven't met anybody that youwant to marry or be with, here's
a great story for you, aninspiration. So you you
(17:55):
mentioned that, you when you youyou thought about being a
lawyer, which you did become,And now you've received a lot
of, honors from the legalprofession, including the
honorable Thomas E.
Ryan junior award foroutstanding service. And you
were named one of the LongIsland Business News'
(18:16):
influencers in law. So I knowthat you loved counseling. What
is it that you love about thelaw and about your work as an
assistant DA?
Ken Kunken (18:27):
Well, you know, I have to add that when I went to
law school, one of theinfluences, in addition to my
work as a rehab counselor, is myolder brother, Steve, who has
basically been my best friendall my life, continues to be my
best friend, and in fact, is onhis way to join me for dinner
(18:48):
tonight. Steve's a lawyer, andhe was a trial lawyer. He worked
in the public defender's office.And I used to watch Steve in
court. And not only did it lookexciting to me, but it looked
like something I could dobecause I saw it was mostly at
least waiting in the courtroomspeaking.
And since, I guess, other thanmy Long Island accent, I'm not
(19:13):
handicapped at you know, withrespect to speaking. I felt
being a trial attorney wassomething I can do. So I did an
internship at the Nassau CountyDistrict Attorney's Office, and
I found a new way that I couldhelp people and serve the
community. So I decided thatthat's where I wanted to work.
And at the time, I didn't knowof any other quadriplegics who
(19:37):
were trial attorneys.
I certainly didn't know of anyassistant district attorneys who
were quadriplegics, but I wasfortunate that when I applied,
the district attorney at thetime, Dennis Dillon, was a very
progressive, forward thinking,self confident, not only
district attorney, but employerwho decided to base his hiring
(20:00):
decision on my ability ratherthan my disability. And I'll
always be grateful to DennisDillon for that.
Merry (20:07):
That's beautiful. Yeah.
Cathy (20:09):
Can you tell us a little bit about your book, I Dream of
Things That Never Were, and whydid you write it?
Ken Kunken (20:18):
Okay. Well, first, let me just tell you where I got
the title for my book. When Iwas still in the rehab facility,
I was asked to testify beforeUnited States Senate Health
Subcommittee chaired by senatorKennedy, which you mentioned in
your introduction. And 8 daysafter my testimony, senator
(20:38):
Kennedy sent me a glasspaperweight in the mail that had
an inscription on it that thesenator said his late brother,
Robert Kennedy, liked very much.And that inscription was the
quotation, some men see thingsas they are and say why.
I dream of things that neverwere and say why not. That's
(20:59):
where I got the title of mybook, I dream of things that
never were. And you asked aboutbeing depressed. I was very
depressed while I was in therehab center. And one of my
aunt's friends, a person by thename of Albert Meglin, who had
done some writing on his own,came to the rehab center to
(21:20):
visit me, and he suggestedwriting a book where I would
dictate to him initially.
And he thought, one, that wouldhelp me deal with my depression
by talking about it, and alsothat it would be informative to
other people because most peopledidn't know what you went
through when you're in a rehabfacility trying to rehabilitate
(21:42):
yourself, particularly after aninjury such as mine. So,
initially, he would come once aweek where I would start
dictating to him about what Iwas experiencing and going
through. And then, you know, wewould start and stop and pick up
the book. And then when I gotout of the rehab facility, went
back to Cornell, I met with thema few times on vacations. And
(22:05):
then I stopped for a while, andthe book just sat.
Mhmm. And after I got married tomy wife and our children were
born, my wife suggested that wepick up the book again and start
writing it, 1, so that it couldbe informative to help other
people who are either dealingwith this type of injury or any
(22:28):
disability for that matter, butalso for their relatives, their
parents, their friends, theirpossible employers, right, to
educate them on what it's liketo have a disability. And then
later, of course, we said, andit would also be great for our
triplets to read so that theywould know a little bit more
(22:49):
about not only what I wentthrough, but how helpful my
family has been every step ofthe way. And we finally
completed the book after workingon it. I was working on it for
more than 50 years,
Cathy (23:03):
and it
Ken Kunken (23:04):
was it was finally completed last year. And I've
been so thankful to Steve Eric,the head of 12 Tables
Publishing, for publishing mybook, and we we've been so
pleased with the comments thatI've gotten ever since. I've
gotten a lot of comments frompeople who have read it, from
(23:26):
all different walks of life whosaid that it has helped and
inspired them to do more withtheir lives. So I I just wanna
make sure I said the publishingcompany correctly. It's 12
Tables Press, and I'm sothankful for them for publishing
my book.
Cathy (23:45):
Great.
Merry (23:45):
You for saying that. Yeah. In along the lines of
what, Robert Kennedy said,you've, you have said, just
because it has not been donebefore does not mean you cannot
do it now. Talk about that.
Ken Kunken (24:03):
Well, you know, that was my feeling. When I went back
to Cornell, they never had aquadriplegic student there
before. In fact, I think theyhad only one other student who
was ever in a wheelchair there,and and he was also injured
while he was a student up there,doing something unrelated to
(24:24):
football. But he was aparaplegic, and he had the use
of his arms. So I decided thatwasn't gonna deter me from going
back there and doing my best tocomplete my degree.
And I might tell you, when Iwent back there, this was 20
years before the Americans withDisabilities Act took effect.
(24:45):
And there was not one ramp orcurb cut on the entire campus.
On my first day of classes, hadto be either pulled up or
bounced down close to 100 stepsOh. Just to attend my first day.
Merry (24:59):
Painful.
Ken Kunken (25:01):
Yes. But with a lot of help from a lot of people, I
was able to do it. And I decidedthere's no reason why I can't
stay there for graduate work andbecome the 1st quadriplegic to
earn a graduate degree. And as Isaid, when I went into law, I
didn't know any otherquadriplegics who were trial
attorneys. So why not be thefirst?
(25:23):
So I decided to do that. And,now I knew there were some other
quadriplegics who had gottenmarried, but with respect to me,
I had been paralyzed for morethan 30 years when my wife and I
looked into in vitrofertilization. And while it
looked like a long shot, wedecided we pursued in vitro
(25:48):
fertilization. And through themiracle of science, my wife,
Anna, became pregnant. And thenI was actually in the delivery
room.
I was present in the deliveryroom when my wife, Anna, gave
birth to triplets.
Cathy (26:03):
Oh, beautiful.
Ken Kunken (26:04):
Than that.
Merry (26:05):
That is so ask you.
Cathy (26:07):
What's it like to be the father of 3 boys? 3 triplet. I
actually know somebody that hadtriplet boys.
Ken Kunken (26:14):
It's the greatest experience in the world. It has
changed my outlook on life ahundredfold. I mean, I love
seeing the excitement, the boys'eyes, and everything that they
do. And I I've so enjoyedwatching them grow and helping
them, trying to guide them, atleast by talking with them and
(26:36):
trying to instill the propervalues in them and perhaps even
helping them with their homeworkoccasionally. And And how
Cathy (26:45):
old are they now? How old are they?
Ken Kunken (26:46):
Now, they're gonna be 20 in January, and they're
all sophomores at 3 differentcolleges in upstate New York.
They're all pursuing differentmajors. And over the years,
while they've been home, they'vehelped me in so many ways. There
were many times when they wouldfeed me or, you know, turn on
the light or, you know, help mewith reading something or any
(27:10):
way they could. They've been sohelpful.
They'd go out somewhere and comeback and say, dad, you could go
there. There's a ramp. Right?They would notice all these
things. And just the mostincredible three sons that I
could ever imagine that anybodycould have.
Merry (27:26):
So tell us about what they're studying.
Ken Kunken (27:28):
Well, my son, Joseph, is actually going to
Cornell University. He startedat Cornell 50 years after I left
there. 50 years after Igraduated. I mean, 50 years
after I graduated myundergraduate degree in 1973. He
started 50 years later, and nowhe's gonna be pursuing a major
(27:49):
in mechanical engineering.
My son, James, is a sophomore atthe State University of New York
at Morrisville where he'sstudying renewable energy.
Merry (28:01):
Oh, we need that.
Ken Kunken (28:02):
Timothy is pursuing a dual major at the SI Newhouse
School of Communications and theMaxwell School of Public Affairs
at Syracuse University, and he'sinterested in pursuing a career
in journalism.
Cathy (28:17):
My goodness.
Merry (28:17):
About in these 3 months. Going to write about you. Well
Mhmm.
Ken Kunken (28:22):
Whatever he decides to write about, he's gonna do
great. I'm absolutely sure aboutthat.
Merry (28:28):
Oh, see. Yeah. It's it's
Ken Kunken (28:31):
In fact, he's been helping me with trying to do an
audio version of my book aswell. And Timmy has helped me
with that as well when he washome on vacations.
Cathy (28:42):
Well, you have such a melodious voice.
Merry (28:44):
You should
Cathy (28:44):
do you should do the the reading yourself. That'd be
great.
Merry (28:50):
Thank you.
Ken Kunken (28:50):
I did. I I actually
Cathy (28:52):
Oh, you've already recorded it?
Ken Kunken (28:53):
Yeah. We already recorded it. It just needs to be
edited and put together.
Merry (28:58):
Yeah. So, tell us what motivates you now. What's the
future like? And if you have anystress at all these days, talk
about that. How do you deal withit?
Ken Kunken (29:10):
Okay. Well, what motivates me is trying to help
others to do more with theirlives. I've done a good amount
of motivational speaking,including yesterday, where I was
the keynote speaker at a jobfair for people with cognitive
disabilities. What causes mestress? Every time I appear
before a large group and give atalk, I feel the stress.
(29:32):
I mean, I've done it a lot.Mhmm. But I never enjoyed being
in front of a large group anddoing public speaking. I know a
lot of people share that.
Cathy (29:43):
Yeah. But you had your training in the courtroom.
Ken Kunken (29:46):
Yeah. I had a lot of training
Cathy (29:48):
in
Merry (29:48):
the courtroom. And, and actors are supposed to get
nervous before they go out onstage.
Ken Kunken (29:54):
Yeah. Yeah. I found, you know, when I was in the
courtroom, I relied a lot on mymemory, so I do that with my
public speaking as well. And Ialways worry a little bit before
each speech, am I gonna rememberwhat to say? Because I've relied
mostly on my memory, but,fortunately, the words always
seem to flow, and I've gottenvery positive feedback with each
(30:16):
of my talks.
Cathy (30:17):
That sounds exciting.
Ken Kunken (30:19):
But what motivates me there, I wanna see if I could
help as many people as I can. Soif my book helps, that's great.
If my experiences andmotivational thoughts help,
that's great. But just being outin public and showing people
there's an awful lot you coulddo with a disability, including
being a husband and a father. Iwanna spread the word to as many
(30:43):
people as I can.
Cathy (30:45):
Beautiful. And going along with that, what would you
like our audience to have as atakeaway today?
Ken Kunken (30:52):
Well, one of the things we mentioned is not
setting limited expectations forpeople because a person's
performance often rises andfalls based upon what others
expect of them. So it's soimportant to keep your
expectations high for others aswell as for yourself. That makes
a huge difference. Don't besatisfied with anything less
(31:16):
than the best. You have tochallenge yourself and always
try to improve and do as muchwith your life as you can.
And whatever you do, find timeto help others. Mhmm. Years from
now, be able to say you dideverything you possibly could to
make not only your life, but thelives of others as well better
(31:37):
as well. And it's so importantto participate. It's so tempting
just to sit home and not doanything productive.
And by getting out, being inpublic, and helping others,
you'll feel better, and it makesa tremendous difference in other
people's lives as well.
Cathy (31:58):
Mhmm. Thank you.
Merry (31:59):
Thank you. You are such a joy to talk to. Thank you so
much for the work that you doand for inspiring us to be the
best we can be no matter whatthe odds are. Our guest today on
late boomers has been KenKunkin. You are a true hero, and
he's a motivational speaker, ahighly respected and honored
(32:21):
lawyer and assistant DA andauthor of I Dream of Things That
Never Were, the Ken Kunkinstory.
You can reach Ken through hiswebsite, kenkunkindot com. Thank
you.
Ken Kunken (32:35):
Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity
to tell my story.
Cathy (32:39):
It's beautiful, and we wanna thank our listeners also
for subscribing to our podcastand for checking us out on
YouTube and recommending us toyour friends. We appreciate you.
We'd love to have you give us a5 star review, and we wanna hear
about your experiences with lateboomers and what gets you
inspired. We are on Instagram atI am Cathy Worthington and at I
(33:04):
am Mary Elkins and at lateboomers. Thank you for
listening, and thanks again somuch, Ken, for being with us
today.
Ken Kunken (33:13):
Thank you as well. Thank you.
Cathy (33:25):
Thank you for joining us on Late Boomers. The podcast
that is your guide to creating a3rd act with style, power, and
impact. Please visit our websiteand get in touch with us at
lateboomers.biz. If you wouldlike to listen to or download
other episodes of Late Boomers,go to ewnpodcastnetwork.com.
Merry (33:47):
This podcast is also available on Spotify, Apple
Podcasts, and most other majorpodcast sites. We hope you make
use of the wisdom you've gainedhere and that you enjoy a
successful third act with yourown style, power, and impact.
This is the EWN podcast network.
Cathy (00:14):
Welcome to Late Boomers, our podcast guide to creating
your 3rd act with style, power,and impact. Hi. I'm Kathy
Worthington.
Merry (00:24):
And I'm Merry Elkins. Join us as we bring you
conversations with successfulentrepreneurs, entertainers, and
people with vision who aremaking a difference in the
world.
Cathy (00:34):
Everyone has a story and we'll take you along for the
ride on each interview,recounting the journey our
guests have taken to get wherethey are, inspiring you to
create your own path to success.Let's get started. Hello. I'm
Kathy Worthington. Welcome toour 5th season of late boomers.
(00:57):
Today, we are excited tointroduce you to our special
guest, Ken Kunkin. He has 4college degrees, is a lawyer who
spent 40 years with the NassauCounty Long Island DA's office,
a motivational speaker who hasinfluenced the lives of people
with disabilities, and thefather of 3 boys who are
(01:18):
triplets. Recently, he became anauthor, publishing his memoir, I
dream of things that never were,the Ken Cuggan story.
Merry (01:28):
And Ken is the 1st quadriplegic to have graduated
from Cornell University and thefirst to earn a, graduate degree
there. While still a student, hetestified before a United States
subcommittee on health care chedchaired by then senator Edward
Kennedy. His life'saccomplishments and accolades
(01:49):
are many, including the Kennethj Kunkin award presented to a
Nassau County assistant DA whopersonifies Ken's commitment,
spirit, and love of trial work.Welcome to Late Boomers, Ken. We
wanna hear about your journeyand how you defied the
overwhelming odds.
Ken Kunken (02:09):
Oh, thank you so much. Thank you for having me as
a guest, and thank you forgiving me the opportunity to
tell my story.
Merry (02:17):
Perfect. Are excited to hear about it.
Cathy (02:20):
Please tell us about your early life and about what led
you to the path you're on today.
Ken Kunken (02:26):
Okay. Well, I think what might be most relevant is
that in 1970, at the beginningof my junior year in college at
Cornell University, I wasplaying on their lightweight
football team. In a in a gameagainst Columbia University, I
broke my neck and severelydamaged my spinal cord, making a
(02:48):
tackle on a kickoff in a gameagainst Columbia University. And
as a result, I'm almostcompletely paralyzed below the
shoulders. I have a littlemovement in my left arm, but
nothing in my fingers or wrist.
And on the right side of mybody, I can just shrug my
shoulder a bit. So I spent thenext 9 months 20 days in various
(03:12):
hospitals and rehabilitationcenters before I returned to
Cornell to continue myeducation. Wow.
Merry (03:20):
Yeah. Well, that that must have made you a little bit
depressed. And and Very much so.Yeah. I mean, your life
certainly didn't go as youplanned, whatever it was you
were planning.
I know that you studiedengineering, but I have to ask
you, what kept you going afteryour injury and and also what
keeps you going now?
Ken Kunken (03:40):
Well, without a doubt, family. Family, family,
family. When I got hurt, myfamily just really came together
and helped me in every possibleway they could. And when I say
family, I'm not just talkingabout, you know, my father,
brother, or sister. I'm talkingabout aunts, uncles, cousins.
(04:04):
The extended family all wereincredibly helpful to me. And
they basically assured me,without saying the exact words,
that they would act as my armsand legs to make sure I could do
everything I wanted to do, andthey've done just that. So
without a doubt, early in myearly early after my injury, it
(04:27):
was the family I just mentioned.And now more recently, not only
that family, but my incrediblewife, Anna, and my triplet sons.
Cathy (04:38):
Mhmm. So beautiful.
Merry (04:40):
Wow. Well, I do have to ask, how did did you battle
depression to for those peoplelistening who may have similar
problems or are are in bed andcan't get up, and perhaps they
need a dose of inspiration?
Ken Kunken (04:57):
You know, it it was a lengthy process. I can't say I
snapped out of my depression atany particular time. It took
quite a while. But during thetime that I was in rehab, my
family was constantly visiting,constantly by my side, and
constantly assuring me thatthere was still a lot I could do
(05:18):
with my life. And they motivethey motivated me, they kept my
spirits up, and they helped inevery way they could.
And, you know, after a while, itwas clear to me they were doing
so much on my behalf to help methat it was almost as if I felt
like I would let them down if Ididn't keep my spirits up and
(05:41):
tried to do as much with my lifeas I possibly could. So, it
definitely is all attributableto them, and I can never thank
them enough for all they'vedone.
Cathy (05:52):
Wow. You were inducted into the Susan m Daniels
Disability Mentoring Hall ofFame. So how important is it to
you to give back and mentorothers, and how has that
actually helped you?
Ken Kunken (06:08):
You know, it's really, really important. And I
might add that before I wasinducted, I worked for a couple
of years as a vocationalrehabilitation counselor at
Abilities Incorporated on LongIsland, which at the time was
part of the Human ResourcesCenter, and it's now called the
Viscardi Center. And I workedthere as a vocational
(06:30):
rehabilitation counselor for alittle over 2 years, and I just
loved the work, and I just founda new way that I could help
people and serve the community.And that did wonders for me as
well personally because afterbeing the recipient of so much
help for years, now I was ableto provide help. And that made
(06:55):
an enormous difference.
And I'm so proud to say thatwhen I left there, 30 years
after I left, the president ofabilities incorporated called me
on the telephone and asked me tobe a member of their board of
directors. So I so happilyaccept that I've been so honored
to serve on the abilities and,first, on their board of
(07:17):
directors and then morerecently, on their parent
company, the Viscardi Center'sboard of directors. And I have
to add that when I say howhelpful and supportive my
family's been my whole life, mycousin, Roy Danis, who was one
of the people that has alwaysbeen so helpful to me, is now
chairman of the Board ofDirectors at the Viscardi
(07:37):
Center. He's taken such aninterest, not only in me, but
helping others withdisabilities, and it's so
gratifying to see.
Cathy (07:46):
That's so beautiful. Were you ever able to meet other
quadriplegic people who werevery young as you were when it
happened to you?
Ken Kunken (07:56):
Mhmm. Yeah. I met people, well, first at the
Viscardi Center, but also when Iwas undergoing rehabilitation. I
was at the Rusk Institute, and Imet a number of individuals who
were injured early in theirlife, usually late teens, early
twenties. So I got to meet,interact, and speak with quite a
(08:18):
number of people who wereinjured similar to me.
Although, quite frankly, most ofthem had more movement than I
did. It was very rare that I metsomebody with as little movement
as I had.
Merry (08:31):
You must have been very inspiring to them. And and talk
a little more about your workwith, people with disabilities
of all ages. And, I understandthat you're also a motivational
speaker. Do they coincide, or isthat a separate thing that
you're working on?
Ken Kunken (08:49):
Well, I worked for a little more than 2 years as a
vocational rehabilitationcounselor. In fact, I passed an
exam where I was working as acertified rehabilitation
counselor. And I did that at theViscardi Center where I would
help people who either hadsevere disabilities or were
dealing with life alteringdiseases or just basically
(09:13):
facing a lot of challenges intheir life. And I helped provide
them with not only vocationaland placement counseling, but
personal adjustment counselingas well. And I found that very
rewarding, and I enjoyed it verymuch.
And one of the things that I didon behalf of the center was I
(09:33):
spoke to groups before groupsand organizations on affirmative
action and nondiscriminationconcerning people with
disabilities. And often after mytalks, I would be asked
questions about the topics. Andwhile I'd certainly do my best
to respond appropriately, I wasalways really careful to caution
(09:54):
the questioners. They shouldreally speak with a lawyer about
their concern. And I guess itwasn't long before I started to
think, you know, there's noreason why I couldn't become
that lawyer.
So I left the center after alittle more than 2 years and
went to Hofstra UniversitySchool of Law. And I might add
that the head of the ViscardiCenter, doctor Henry Viscardi
(10:17):
junior himself personally wrotea letter recommendation for me
because he appreciated what Idid at the center, and he felt
there was still more that Icould do to help others. So I've
always been very grateful to himfor that as well.
Merry (10:32):
Do you have any stories you can tell us, about somebody
that you worked with who whoperhaps might have been battling
depression as you were and cameout of it because of your work
with him or her?
Ken Kunken (10:47):
Well, there are quite a number of people that I
worked with over the years whotold me that as a result of
things that I was doing, itmotivated them to do more with
their lives. And I might addthat that didn't just apply to
people with disabilities. Youknow, when I was working at the
district attorney's office, Iwas often told when people went
(11:12):
through their exit interviewswhere they were asked what did
they like best about the job,what did they feel could be
improved about the job, thatmany of them mentioned meeting,
getting to know, and workingwith me. And now, I don't say
that to boast or to brag. I Iknow they weren't talking about
meeting and getting to know KenKum Kim.
(11:33):
They were talking about meetingand getting to know a person
with a significant disabilitybecause they, unless they had a
close relative with adisability, usually didn't come
in contact with somebody on adaily basis with a disability.
And I think it was a revelationfor them that, at least for the
most part, I had a positiveattitude and a pleasant
(11:56):
disposition and that it did notmean any additional work for
them. They saw I was a hardworker and was often more
productive than many of thepeople in the office. But if you
wanna mention one person, Iwould mention a fellow by the
name of Robert Papia who went tothe Henry Viscardi School. He
was born, and early on developedmuscular dystrophy.
(12:19):
He also uses an electricwheelchair. And he credits me,
he said a number of times, thatI was his inspiration to
eventually go to law school. Andafter he graduated law school,
he worked for the town ofHempstead for a while, and then
he became a Nassau CountyDistrict Court Judge.
Merry (12:39):
Oh. And Oh my goodness.
Ken Kunken (12:40):
Bench now for more than more than 8 years now. And
he has said many times that he'scredited me with inspiring him
to do what he's doing. So I'mvery proud of that. And in fact,
Rob and I now both serve on theViscardi Center board of
directors.
Cathy (12:59):
Great. That leads me to my next question, which is a
perfect lead in because I wantto ask you to tell us your
thoughts on having highexpectations for yourself and
for others.
Ken Kunken (13:12):
You know, that's a great question because when I
was in the rehab center, itseemed like everybody's
expectations were so low forsomebody with a disability.
Cathy (13:23):
It
Ken Kunken (13:24):
seemed like almost any disability. Mhmm. And I was
able to get a hold of a pamphletthat was put out by the rehab
center, and they talked aboutwhat type of careers somebody in
my condition could eventuallydo. And the only career I saw
for somebody who was asquadriplegic at my level would
(13:46):
be to someday sell magazinesubscriptions over the
telephone. That seemed to be thebest they thought I would ever
be able to do.
And while at that time, Icouldn't even dial a telephone,
they were rotary telephones,would take notes or write
anything, I was determined to domore than that. And with my
family's help and help frompersonal care attendants and
(14:08):
fellow classmates, I was able tocontinue my education. And I not
only got my undergraduate degreein engineering, I I decided that
what I really wanted to do wasto work with and help others who
were dealing with either, youknow, life altering diseases or
significant challenges in theirlife. So, I stayed at Cornell,
(14:31):
and I got a master's incounseling and student personnel
administration. And then Iincreased my counseling
credentials.
I went to Columbia Universitywhere I got a master's degree in
psychological counseling andrehabilitation. And that's where
I decided that I wanted to workwith people doing rehabilitation
counseling and helping otherswho were dealing with these such
(14:54):
significant physicaldisabilities. And I really,
really enjoyed working there fora number of years before I
decided that there was stillmore I wanted to do, and that's
when I went to law school.
Cathy (15:07):
But kind kind of along those lines, somewhere in that
training was when you adjustedyour your own viewpoint and
said, I'm going to have higherexpectations for the people
around me?
Ken Kunken (15:19):
You know, absolutely. You know, as I was
going through the schooling and,you know, internships and the
work at the Viscardi Center,there were times it was almost
as if I was looking in themirror and counseling myself
since I saw so many people withthe same needs, concerns, wants,
(15:41):
and desires that I had. And itjust made me feel better about
myself that I could help them.But I have to say before I was
hired, I had to look for a jobfor a year. And I sent out more
than 200 resumes becauseeverybody seemed to feel I was
just too disabled to work.
And I was even turned down whenI left to volunteer my services
(16:04):
back there, but I knew I couldwork. And all I was looking for
was the opportunity to show thatI could work. And that holds
true for so many people withdisabilities. We just want the
opportunity to show what we cando. And I believe once we're
given that opportunity,employers find that people with
(16:25):
disabilities are some of thehardest working, most loyal, and
dedicated employees an employercan ever hope to find.
Yeah.
Cathy (16:34):
And how did you meet your wife? I have to ask.
Ken Kunken (16:38):
Actually, my wife is from Poland. And when I was
looking for a personal careattendant to help me on the
weekends, I put an ad in thePolish daily news, which is
published here in the States.And my wife was here for a while
trying to improve her lingEnglish speaking skills, and she
(16:58):
saw the ad and responded to helpme on weekends because she felt
that would help her learnEnglish better by spending time
with somebody who was Englishspeaking, who could speak to her
on a daily basis in English. So,you know, she applied to work as
my weekend attendant, and themore we got to know each other
Merry (17:21):
The longer she stayed.
Ken Kunken (17:23):
Developed and improved. And lo and behold, we
got married in 2,003. And in2,005, we became the father of
triplet boys.
Merry (17:34):
Oh, I have chills and goosebumps. That's one what a
great story. I love that for allof our people that that
listening and watching outthere. Even if you if you
haven't met anybody that youwant to marry or be with, here's
a great story for you, aninspiration. So you you
(17:55):
mentioned that, you when you youyou thought about being a
lawyer, which you did become,And now you've received a lot
of, honors from the legalprofession, including the
honorable Thomas E.
Ryan junior award foroutstanding service. And you
were named one of the LongIsland Business News'
(18:16):
influencers in law. So I knowthat you loved counseling. What
is it that you love about thelaw and about your work as an
assistant DA?
Ken Kunken (18:27):
Well, you know, I have to add that when I went to
law school, one of theinfluences, in addition to my
work as a rehab counselor, is myolder brother, Steve, who has
basically been my best friendall my life, continues to be my
best friend, and in fact, is onhis way to join me for dinner
(18:48):
tonight. Steve's a lawyer, andhe was a trial lawyer. He worked
in the public defender's office.And I used to watch Steve in
court. And not only did it lookexciting to me, but it looked
like something I could dobecause I saw it was mostly at
least waiting in the courtroomspeaking.
And since, I guess, other thanmy Long Island accent, I'm not
(19:13):
handicapped at you know, withrespect to speaking. I felt
being a trial attorney wassomething I can do. So I did an
internship at the Nassau CountyDistrict Attorney's Office, and
I found a new way that I couldhelp people and serve the
community. So I decided thatthat's where I wanted to work.
And at the time, I didn't knowof any other quadriplegics who
(19:37):
were trial attorneys.
I certainly didn't know of anyassistant district attorneys who
were quadriplegics, but I wasfortunate that when I applied,
the district attorney at thetime, Dennis Dillon, was a very
progressive, forward thinking,self confident, not only
district attorney, but employerwho decided to base his hiring
(20:00):
decision on my ability ratherthan my disability. And I'll
always be grateful to DennisDillon for that.
Merry (20:07):
That's beautiful. Yeah.
Cathy (20:09):
Can you tell us a little bit about your book, I Dream of
Things That Never Were, and whydid you write it?
Ken Kunken (20:18):
Okay. Well, first, let me just tell you where I got
the title for my book. When Iwas still in the rehab facility,
I was asked to testify beforeUnited States Senate Health
Subcommittee chaired by senatorKennedy, which you mentioned in
your introduction. And 8 daysafter my testimony, senator
(20:38):
Kennedy sent me a glasspaperweight in the mail that had
an inscription on it that thesenator said his late brother,
Robert Kennedy, liked very much.And that inscription was the
quotation, some men see thingsas they are and say why.
I dream of things that neverwere and say why not. That's
(20:59):
where I got the title of mybook, I dream of things that
never were. And you asked aboutbeing depressed. I was very
depressed while I was in therehab center. And one of my
aunt's friends, a person by thename of Albert Meglin, who had
done some writing on his own,came to the rehab center to
(21:20):
visit me, and he suggestedwriting a book where I would
dictate to him initially.
And he thought, one, that wouldhelp me deal with my depression
by talking about it, and alsothat it would be informative to
other people because most peopledidn't know what you went
through when you're in a rehabfacility trying to rehabilitate
(21:42):
yourself, particularly after aninjury such as mine. So,
initially, he would come once aweek where I would start
dictating to him about what Iwas experiencing and going
through. And then, you know, wewould start and stop and pick up
the book. And then when I gotout of the rehab facility, went
back to Cornell, I met with thema few times on vacations. And
(22:05):
then I stopped for a while, andthe book just sat.
Mhmm. And after I got married tomy wife and our children were
born, my wife suggested that wepick up the book again and start
writing it, 1, so that it couldbe informative to help other
people who are either dealingwith this type of injury or any
(22:28):
disability for that matter, butalso for their relatives, their
parents, their friends, theirpossible employers, right, to
educate them on what it's liketo have a disability. And then
later, of course, we said, andit would also be great for our
triplets to read so that theywould know a little bit more
(22:49):
about not only what I wentthrough, but how helpful my
family has been every step ofthe way. And we finally
completed the book after workingon it. I was working on it for
more than 50 years,
Cathy (23:03):
and it
Ken Kunken (23:04):
was it was finally completed last year. And I've
been so thankful to Steve Eric,the head of 12 Tables
Publishing, for publishing mybook, and we we've been so
pleased with the comments thatI've gotten ever since. I've
gotten a lot of comments frompeople who have read it, from
(23:26):
all different walks of life whosaid that it has helped and
inspired them to do more withtheir lives. So I I just wanna
make sure I said the publishingcompany correctly. It's 12
Tables Press, and I'm sothankful for them for publishing
my book.
Cathy (23:45):
Great.
Merry (23:45):
You for saying that. Yeah. In along the lines of
what, Robert Kennedy said,you've, you have said, just
because it has not been donebefore does not mean you cannot
do it now. Talk about that.
Ken Kunken (24:03):
Well, you know, that was my feeling. When I went back
to Cornell, they never had aquadriplegic student there
before. In fact, I think theyhad only one other student who
was ever in a wheelchair there,and and he was also injured
while he was a student up there,doing something unrelated to
(24:24):
football. But he was aparaplegic, and he had the use
of his arms. So I decided thatwasn't gonna deter me from going
back there and doing my best tocomplete my degree.
And I might tell you, when Iwent back there, this was 20
years before the Americans withDisabilities Act took effect.
(24:45):
And there was not one ramp orcurb cut on the entire campus.
On my first day of classes, hadto be either pulled up or
bounced down close to 100 stepsOh. Just to attend my first day.
Merry (24:59):
Painful.
Ken Kunken (25:01):
Yes. But with a lot of help from a lot of people, I
was able to do it. And I decidedthere's no reason why I can't
stay there for graduate work andbecome the 1st quadriplegic to
earn a graduate degree. And as Isaid, when I went into law, I
didn't know any otherquadriplegics who were trial
attorneys. So why not be thefirst?
(25:23):
So I decided to do that. And,now I knew there were some other
quadriplegics who had gottenmarried, but with respect to me,
I had been paralyzed for morethan 30 years when my wife and I
looked into in vitrofertilization. And while it
looked like a long shot, wedecided we pursued in vitro
(25:48):
fertilization. And through themiracle of science, my wife,
Anna, became pregnant. And thenI was actually in the delivery
room.
I was present in the deliveryroom when my wife, Anna, gave
birth to triplets.
Cathy (26:03):
Oh, beautiful.
Ken Kunken (26:04):
Than that.
Merry (26:05):
That is so ask you.
Cathy (26:07):
What's it like to be the father of 3 boys? 3 triplet. I
actually know somebody that hadtriplet boys.
Ken Kunken (26:14):
It's the greatest experience in the world. It has
changed my outlook on life ahundredfold. I mean, I love
seeing the excitement, the boys'eyes, and everything that they
do. And I I've so enjoyedwatching them grow and helping
them, trying to guide them, atleast by talking with them and
(26:36):
trying to instill the propervalues in them and perhaps even
helping them with their homeworkoccasionally. And And how
Cathy (26:45):
old are they now? How old are they?
Ken Kunken (26:46):
Now, they're gonna be 20 in January, and they're
all sophomores at 3 differentcolleges in upstate New York.
They're all pursuing differentmajors. And over the years,
while they've been home, they'vehelped me in so many ways. There
were many times when they wouldfeed me or, you know, turn on
the light or, you know, help mewith reading something or any
(27:10):
way they could. They've been sohelpful.
They'd go out somewhere and comeback and say, dad, you could go
there. There's a ramp. Right?They would notice all these
things. And just the mostincredible three sons that I
could ever imagine that anybodycould have.
Merry (27:26):
So tell us about what they're studying.
Ken Kunken (27:28):
Well, my son, Joseph, is actually going to
Cornell University. He startedat Cornell 50 years after I left
there. 50 years after Igraduated. I mean, 50 years
after I graduated myundergraduate degree in 1973. He
started 50 years later, and nowhe's gonna be pursuing a major
(27:49):
in mechanical engineering.
My son, James, is a sophomore atthe State University of New York
at Morrisville where he'sstudying renewable energy.
Merry (28:01):
Oh, we need that.
Ken Kunken (28:02):
Timothy is pursuing a dual major at the SI Newhouse
School of Communications and theMaxwell School of Public Affairs
at Syracuse University, and he'sinterested in pursuing a career
in journalism.
Cathy (28:17):
My goodness.
Merry (28:17):
About in these 3 months. Going to write about you. Well
Mhmm.
Ken Kunken (28:22):
Whatever he decides to write about, he's gonna do
great. I'm absolutely sure aboutthat.
Merry (28:28):
Oh, see. Yeah. It's it's
Ken Kunken (28:31):
In fact, he's been helping me with trying to do an
audio version of my book aswell. And Timmy has helped me
with that as well when he washome on vacations.
Cathy (28:42):
Well, you have such a melodious voice.
Merry (28:44):
You should
Cathy (28:44):
do you should do the the reading yourself. That'd be
great.
Merry (28:50):
Thank you.
Ken Kunken (28:50):
I did. I I actually
Cathy (28:52):
Oh, you've already recorded it?
Ken Kunken (28:53):
Yeah. We already recorded it. It just needs to be
edited and put together.
Merry (28:58):
Yeah. So, tell us what motivates you now. What's the
future like? And if you have anystress at all these days, talk
about that. How do you deal withit?
Ken Kunken (29:10):
Okay. Well, what motivates me is trying to help
others to do more with theirlives. I've done a good amount
of motivational speaking,including yesterday, where I was
the keynote speaker at a jobfair for people with cognitive
disabilities. What causes mestress? Every time I appear
before a large group and give atalk, I feel the stress.
(29:32):
I mean, I've done it a lot.Mhmm. But I never enjoyed being
in front of a large group anddoing public speaking. I know a
lot of people share that.
Cathy (29:43):
Yeah. But you had your training in the courtroom.
Ken Kunken (29:46):
Yeah. I had a lot of training
Cathy (29:48):
in
Merry (29:48):
the courtroom. And, and actors are supposed to get
nervous before they go out onstage.
Ken Kunken (29:54):
Yeah. Yeah. I found, you know, when I was in the
courtroom, I relied a lot on mymemory, so I do that with my
public speaking as well. And Ialways worry a little bit before
each speech, am I gonna rememberwhat to say? Because I've relied
mostly on my memory, but,fortunately, the words always
seem to flow, and I've gottenvery positive feedback with each
(30:16):
of my talks.
Cathy (30:17):
That sounds exciting.
Ken Kunken (30:19):
But what motivates me there, I wanna see if I could
help as many people as I can. Soif my book helps, that's great.
If my experiences andmotivational thoughts help,
that's great. But just being outin public and showing people
there's an awful lot you coulddo with a disability, including
being a husband and a father. Iwanna spread the word to as many
(30:43):
people as I can.
Cathy (30:45):
Beautiful. And going along with that, what would you
like our audience to have as atakeaway today?
Ken Kunken (30:52):
Well, one of the things we mentioned is not
setting limited expectations forpeople because a person's
performance often rises andfalls based upon what others
expect of them. So it's soimportant to keep your
expectations high for others aswell as for yourself. That makes
a huge difference. Don't besatisfied with anything less
(31:16):
than the best. You have tochallenge yourself and always
try to improve and do as muchwith your life as you can.
And whatever you do, find timeto help others. Mhmm. Years from
now, be able to say you dideverything you possibly could to
make not only your life, but thelives of others as well better
(31:37):
as well. And it's so importantto participate. It's so tempting
just to sit home and not doanything productive.
And by getting out, being inpublic, and helping others,
you'll feel better, and it makesa tremendous difference in other
people's lives as well.
Cathy (31:58):
Mhmm. Thank you.
Merry (31:59):
Thank you. You are such a joy to talk to. Thank you so
much for the work that you doand for inspiring us to be the
best we can be no matter whatthe odds are. Our guest today on
late boomers has been KenKunkin. You are a true hero, and
he's a motivational speaker, ahighly respected and honored
(32:21):
lawyer and assistant DA andauthor of I Dream of Things That
Never Were, the Ken Kunkinstory.
You can reach Ken through hiswebsite, kenkunkindot com. Thank
you.
Ken Kunken (32:35):
Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity
to tell my story.
Cathy (32:39):
It's beautiful, and we wanna thank our listeners also
for subscribing to our podcastand for checking us out on
YouTube and recommending us toyour friends. We appreciate you.
We'd love to have you give us a5 star review, and we wanna hear
about your experiences with lateboomers and what gets you
inspired. We are on Instagram atI am Cathy Worthington and at I
(33:04):
am Mary Elkins and at lateboomers. Thank you for
listening, and thanks again somuch, Ken, for being with us
today.
Ken Kunken (33:13):
Thank you as well. Thank you.
Cathy (33:25):
Thank you for joining us on Late Boomers. The podcast
that is your guide to creating a3rd act with style, power, and
impact. Please visit our websiteand get in touch with us at
lateboomers.biz. If you wouldlike to listen to or download
other episodes of Late Boomers,go to ewnpodcastnetwork.com.
Merry (33:47):
This podcast is also available on Spotify, Apple
Podcasts, and most other majorpodcast sites. We hope you make
use of the wisdom you've gainedhere and that you enjoy a
successful third act with yourown style, power, and impact.
Popular Podcasts
Boysober
Have you ever wondered what life might be like if you stopped worrying about being wanted, and focused on understanding what you actually want? That was the question Hope Woodard asked herself after a string of situationships inspired her to take a break from sex and dating. She went "boysober," a personal concept that sparked a global movement among women looking to prioritize themselves over men. Now, Hope is looking to expand the ways we explore our relationship to relationships. Taking a bold, unfiltered look into modern love, romance, and self-discovery, Boysober will dive into messy stories about dating, sex, love, friendship, and breaking generational patterns—all with humor, vulnerability, and a fresh perspective.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com