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Hello There
I’m Dominick (right) and on my left is my best friend Uriel, and we produce The Disability Myth. We love talking about the world and the ways in which we believe it could be a better place. Given my experience living with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), and Uriel’s perspective as my personal caretaker, we feel that we have a unique insight to offer those willing to listen regardless of level of mobility. Sharing our insights on what it’s like to live with a disability and what it’s like to be a caretaker is one way we feel we can connect with others and take that step (pun intended) to make the world a better place.
Our Story
Growing up with SMA type 2 taught me a lot about perseverance, empathy, and life in general. As I grow older, I grow weaker. At the age of 26, I can barely feed myself, I need help to do practically everything, and I sleep hooked up to a ventilator every night. However, thanks in large part to the amazing family and people I have in my life who have pushed me throughout it, I’m a firm believer that life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.
One of those amazing people is Uriel; we met in high school and as you can imagine, our friendship has evolved over the years. We went from eating pizza rolls at my house to him helping me with all activities of daily living, such as eating, bathing, and using the bathroom. He is
one of the kindest human beings I have ever met, and also the funniest. When I was advised by a mentor to start a podcast, I was a little nervous to do it all by myself. I knew Uriel would be the perfect yin to my yang as a co-host. Suffice to say, without him, this podcast and website would not exist.
I recently graduated from Arizona State University with a bachelor’s of science in Communication and am eager to use what I have learned both in class and outside to bring people towards a more common understanding of one another. I have had the privilege of meeting and working with hundreds of people, specifically nurses and caretakers, and I realize that for as different as we all may seem from each other, we are just as similar. This is why I started The Disability Myth. My mission is to bridge the gap in understanding between those living with a disability and those that are not as familiar by using my voice. According to the CDC, 1 in 4 individuals live with some type of disability, yet my experiences living with one show that we can all use a little more empathy and understanding.
In my free time, you can find me in front of the TV watching anything Star Wars or NFL football. I am a huge San Francisco 49ers fan and you cannot tell me that Brock Purdy is not elite! I also enjoy playing video games like Ark: Survival Evolved and Pokemon because I’m still a child at heart who loves dinosaurs and fantasy creatures. Speaking of, I’ll leave you with my favorite quote from Pokemon: The First Movie, “I see now that the circumstances of one’s birth are irrelevant. It is what you do with the gift of life that determines who you are”. - Mewtwo
Contact
Uri and I are always looking for new stories to share and opportunities to tell our own. Let's connect!
(805) - 245 - 2437