I have long said — and probably been quoted as saying — that travel is my one true love. After my 2012 car accident, regaining the ability to travel was what pulled me out of the depths of despair, and it helped me to unravel the mysteries of my new life with disability. I owe a lot to travel, to be sure.
But my one true love, well, it isn't travel — at least not since I met the woman who, last week, became my fiancée. Her entry into my life revealed to me what love truly is. It isn't something that can be explained with words — love, well, it's even more difficult to define than the untranslatable Dutch word of gezelligheid. What I do know is that she is everything, and my new North Star.
She is Stephanie. Stevie.
We first met in 2023 on a Zoom call. During the pandemic, I started a Facebook group for Disabled Catholics, and Stevie reached out to learn about resources for kids with disabilities in the Church. That first Zoom call led to many more, followed by an eventual in-person meeting, a first date, many trips to her hometown of Knoxville, Tennessee, and the development of a relationship stronger than I ever thought possible. She became, and is, the love of my life.
Her love isn't the only gift I've received. After studying at university, Stevie moved to Liberia in West Africa, where she worked with a non-profit to support families and children with disabilities. There, she met Robert, a boy whom she eventually adopted. Robert has grown to become a vibrant, spirited and joyful 12-year-old, and I love him deeply.
Through our forthcoming marriage (with a wedding planned for next year), I will have the opportunity to both join and create a family, to become a husband and a father. It is the honor of a lifetime, and the best gift I have ever received.
Long distance relationships are difficult to manage, but travel allowed us to remain connected — Even though I do not call Knoxville home, I think I am probably now the McGhee-Tyson Airport's top wheelchair traveler. 😛 Thank you to the American Airlines team at Knoxville Airport for always welcoming me with a smile and treating my wheelchair with care.
Robert has said that "we are a traveling family," and that is something we hope to share with you and with the disability community. The importance of accessible family travel is far too often overlooked, but we are going to work with and challenge destinations and travel providers to improve access for families with disabilities. I cannot imagine a better team: a wheelchair user and globetrotting (future) father, a courageous mother with a career in adaptive recreation, and an incredible kid who wants the freedom to see and experience the world — even when he is using his wheelchair. That's who we are, and who we were created to be.
Our first major trip as an engaged couple begins this week — we'll be visiting the European cities of London, England, Munich, Germany, and Innsbruck, Austria! After our accessible family vacation, I will be continuing on to Hamburg, Germany to advocate for equal access in air travel at the Passenger Experience Conference and Aircraft Interiors Expo.
I hope you will join us on this journey to pursue new storylines about accessible travel and to advocate for a more disability-friendly world. Follow along and explore the world with us!
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