361 – Scott MacGregor of Fishers, IN ED of Content & Storytelling at Eli Lilly, Father of 3 Including One With Down Syndrome

Transcript:

Tom Couch: Special thanks to Horizon Therapeutics for sponsoring the Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad Podcast. Working tirelessly to research, develop and bring forward medicines for people living with rare and rheumatic diseases. Discover more about Horizon Therapeutics mission at horizontherapeutics.com.

Scott MacGregor: Abby’s had a chance from the time she got into elementary school to be involved in school activities. We have a very strong, unified sports program and a very passionate, coach and administrator. Abby really benefited from that. She was even able to join the varsity cheer team. She cheered alongside her typical peers for her senior football season. So we’re blessed to live in a community that has made inclusion a priority. It would have been a very different situation 20, 30 years ago, so I think Abby was definitely born for this time.

Tom Couch: That’s our guest this week, Scott MacGregor, executive director of Content and Storytelling at Eli Lilly and company. Scott is father to three children, including Abby, 21, who has down syndrome. He also helped his wife Sara form Same As U, a school for kids with intellectual and developmental disabilities located in Noblesville, Indiana. We’ll hear all about that school and Scott’s life on this Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad Podcast. Now say hello to the founder of the Special Fathers Network and host of the Dad to Dad Podcast, David Hirsch.

David Hirsch: Hi, I’m David Hirsch, host of the Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad Podcast. Two short messages. First, I’d like to thank those who donated more than $1,000 to the 2024 cycle to end Father Absence Campaign. In alphabetical order, they are Ina Byrd, Irene and Tom Costello, Kim Duchessois, Damian Navarro, Brad Surratt, Don Stadler and UBS Financial Services. We’re close to reaching our $50,000 goal and we can use your help. If you haven’t already done so, would you please consider making a tax deductible contribution? You can do so by going to 21stCenturyDads.org. Secondly, the Special Fathers Network Mastermind Group experience is one of the most comprehensive programs the 21st Century Dads foundation offers. Dads raising children with special needs, meet virtually on a weekly basis and form meaningful relationships while sharing weekly wins, discussing books and sharing heartfelt challenges. One of the highlights of the year is attending an in-person weekend retreat. As you think about the year ahead, I invite you to join one of the existing or soon to be formed Special Fathers Network Mastermind Groups and join a group of like-minded dads to become the best version of yourself. It might just transform your life and it has done so for so many others. For more information, please see the show notes or simply go to 21stCenturyDads.org.

Tom Couch: Now let’s listen in to this conversation between Scott MacGregor and David Hirsch.

David Hirsch: I’m thrilled to be talking Today with Scott MacGregor of Fishers, Indiana, who is executive director of content and storytelling at Eli Lilly and Company, the father of three, including a daughter with down syndrome. Scott, thank you for taking the time to do a podcast interview for the Special Fathers Network.

Scott MacGregor: I’m, grateful to be here. David, thank you.

David Hirsch: You and your wife Sara have been married for 23 years and are the proud parents of three living children, Ainsley, 16, Jack, 18, and Abby, 21, who has down syndrome. Very sadly, your son Owen, who had Trisomy, 13, was still born in 2011. Let’s start with some background. Where did you grow up? Tell me something about your family.

Scott MacGregor: Well, I was born in Chicago, and, lived in the northwest suburbs until I was about five. And then my dad was transferred to Fort Lauderdale, Florida area, so lived there for five years. And when I was 10, we moved back to Illinois to Champaign, where the University of Illinois is located. And I kind of call that my hometown, since I spent the most time there. Very typical normal childhood of the 70s and 80s. Grew up just, you know, having fun, being involved in lots of things. Sports, music, Boy Scouts. And my parents were extremely supportive of, you know, all the things that I wanted to get involved in. So, I’ve got a brother, an older brother named Drew, who’s three years older. He still lives in Champaign and works at the University of Illinois. So, you know, it was a good childhood.

David Hirsch: Yeah, well, thanks for mentioning that. I have very fond memories of my time in Champaign, but it was only for four years as an undergrad and getting back as much as I have, during the last 40 years, it seems like a bucolic area to grow up in, right? Being a university town and all the good family values that exist there. I’m sort of curious to know, what did your dad

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do for a living?

Scott MacGregor: Well, he started his professional career as a math teacher in the Chicago suburbs. And then after he and my mom got married, he decided to transition into a business career and he worked for IBM. I had a really cool experience a few years ago. I was able to go, to a meeting for my job at the IBM building, the old IBM building in downtown Chicago. So it was kind of cool to make that connection. And then he spent the rest of his career in different fields of electronics and computers, in marketing and sales. He started his own business to give sales seminars to People who were transitioning into the, sales field from other professions. He had a fondness for Germany, even though he didn’t speak German. And so he networked and would put on seminars for German business people of how to do business with American companies. So he had a really, I think, long and fulfilling career, A career that I’ve admired as I’ve progressed in my own.

David Hirsch: Well, thanks for sharing. Is your dad still alive?

Scott MacGregor: No. He passed away in October, of 2016. Essentially died doing what he loved, which was playing tennis. He had a stroke on the tennis court, and, ended up dying a couple days later in the hospital. But for shorthand, I always say he died playing tennis, which is his first love, his great love outside of my mom. So not, a bad way to go.

David Hirsch: Yeah, well, very sorry to hear that he died, prematurely. But like you said, if he did it while he was doing something he loved to do, maybe that’s not the worst thing that could happen to somebody.

Scott MacGregor: You know, I would describe him as just being a guy that everybody loved. He was a very relational person, and, you know, really had charisma and authenticity that drew people to him, which is a good characteristic for somebody in sales and marketing. He was very generous and genuine. He really cared about people. As a dad, he was always super supportive of me, you know, always very involved and interested in the things that I was doing. Was that every game, every baseball game or football game that I played, you know, would make it a point if he was traveling for work to try and get home in time to be able to catch the game, even if that meant, you know, earlier late night flights. And, he really instilled in our family a real love of, our faith when he was a teacher, and then even after that, he was a volunteer leader for a group called Young Life, which tries to reach high school students with the message of Christ. And that was also a very relational type of business. And so he really instilled in us a strong faith, a strong work ethic. He was a real grinder. Certainly liked his leisure time, but, loved to work and see the results of his work.

David Hirsch: Yeah, well, thanks for sharing. It sound like he was, present in a lot of different ways and a great role model, not just to you and your brother, but to perhaps many others, especially through the volunteer work that he did with Young Life. And when you think about your dad, is there a takeaway or two, perhaps, beyond what you’ve already mentioned? lesson learned that comes to mind?

Scott MacGregor: Well, I think, you know, a big thing certainly was work ethic. And I think that’s something that, you know, I have tried to model in my career. And for my son who now, as he begins to develop what the interest in what he’s going to be doing, you know, after graduating from high school, I certainly see those same characteristics. But, again, I think a big aspect of it was that relationships with people are really what matters. You know, he always had, whether it was a tennis buddy or a work colleague, you know, he always was making connections with people. You know, at his funeral. Actually, that’s a lot of what we heard, both formally and informally, and the number of lives that he touched, both, you know, starting as a teacher and then through his career volunteering with Young Life, and then all the volunteer work that he did through church or other organizations, you know, throughout his life. I’m a bit of an introvert and have become a little more so since, Covid. But that lesson really stuck with me that life is about people and the impact that people have on you and you can have on others.

David Hirsch: Yeah, I love it. Thank you for sharing. I’m thinking about other father influencers, and I’m wondering what, if any, influence your grandfathers had starting on your dad’s side.

Scott MacGregor: So, my dad’s dad, died when I was fairly young, about seven, I think. He died of cancer. And

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Scott MacGregor: they lived in Springfield, Massachusetts, so I didn’t see him as much. But the subject of my grandfather came up over Thanksgiving, and my mom was, relaying how kind of person he was. And, you know, I think that certainly was passed down to my dad. My mom’s dad, I knew much better. They lived in Chicago, and we saw them quite a bit. We would always see them at holidays, and, we spent some time in the summer with them. He was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when he was in the Navy in World War II, then lived 50 years with type 1 diabetes at a time when insulin was fairly new. He lived a really great full life. but unfortunately, the complications of the disease caused him to have a stroke when I was about 12. And so after that he was in and out of nursing homes and lived about 10 more years after the stroke. But before the stroke, he was the kind of grandpa that really wanted to take you out for ice cream or play with you in the backyard. He was definitely hands on, kind of grandfather and, you know, really appreciate some of the lessons that I remember from him as well.

David Hirsch: Yeah, well, thanks for sharing. You’re very fortunate to actually have known, both your grandfathers when you were younger. And, I’m wondering if there’s any other men who might have played an influential role, a father figure of sorts, while you were a young guy growing up or perhaps as yet an adult.

Scott MacGregor: Yeah, you know, I’ve. Along the way, I’ve had a lot of mentor types that maybe haven’t been formal mentoring relationships, but certainly, you know, have guided me whether that’s spiritually. When I was in high school, I was involved in a group called Campus Life, which is similar to Young Life and being in a college town. Some of the leaders were students at the University of Illinois. And, you know, just seeing M and interacting with cool college guys who were also strong believers was cool. It was cool to see that. You know, I’ve had lots of professional mentors, you know, people that have really shown me the ropes. My uncle. I began my career as a journalist, and my uncle was a journalist for a long time in Lafayette, Indiana. take, a lot of writing inspiration from him. But I think I’ve just been blessed along the way to have people that have encouraged me, pushed me to advance the things I was interested in, you know, from a professional perspective, you know, to try out some things and take some risks.

David Hirsch: Yeah. Well, I know that there’s a phrase, it sounds a little bit of a cliche that it takes a village. And it sounds like you’ve been the benefactor of a number of different types of, relationships, formal or informal. So thanks for sharing. My recollection was that you took an undergraduate degree from DePauw, a degree in English, and that, you had a series of reporting type assignments from companies like USA Today, the Chicago Tribune, the Cincinnati Inquirer, the Indianapolis Star. You, found, I guess, your calling to work for a big company like Eli Lilly. And I’m wondering what was the transition that, you know, took place from those reporter type jobs to working for a big company like Eli Lilly?

Scott MacGregor: Well, that’s a great question. And I certainly am among a small group of. There’s actually a couple people, a couple other people I’ve worked with at Lilly over the years that also began their career as sportswriters, as I did. but I started covering sports. I got really fortunate to have some great breaks very early in my career and ended up covering Major League Baseball and the Cincinnati Reds on the beat full time. That’s a tough life. You know, traveling around, following a baseball team for 162 games is. Doesn’t allow for a lot of personal time, and personal life. So Eventually I transitioned into covering news and then, that led me into public relations. So I was working in public relations for a state government agency here in Indiana. I had some connections at Lilly that had actually come to work at the agency and just thought, you know, this maybe sounds like it could be a nice, stable career. We were starting our family and so I didn’t have expectations at that time that 20 years later I would be here and, have an influential role in the stories that we get to tell. But I think the through line and the connection is really about storytelling. The reason I got into journalism was not necessarily to break news and tell truth. It was because I like to tell stories. And my career in journalism was really focused a lot more on features and the people behind the news. And so now I get to do that in a different way from a different perspective. But I’ve been able to carve out a nice career for myself at Lilly and really a purpose driven company that,

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Scott MacGregor: you know, at the end of the day, we know that the medicines we’re making are helping people and that’s what makes it so fulfilling.

David Hirsch: Yeah, well, thanks for sharing. It seems a little bit more obvious now that you’ve mentioned the career trajectory. So I’m sort of curious to know, how did you and Sara meet?

Scott MacGregor: So Sara and I met through a cousin of mine who was a friend of Sara’s and suggested that we should meet at least and start talking. So we started emailing each other back in the days before texting. I was living in Cincinnati, she was here in Indianapolis, had just moved here from a smaller town in Indiana. So I drove over the night of my 27th birthday and we had kind of a semi blind date. Ended up being an epic marathon date. I think something like 8, 10 hours. After we had dinner, we sat on a bench on the Monon Trail here in Indy and, you know, just kind of fell in love. And we’ve been together. That was 24 years ago. We’ve been married 23 years.

David Hirsch: I love it. Thanks for sharing. Let’s switch gears and talk about special needs. First on a personal basis and then beyond. And I’m sort of curious to know, prior to Abby’s adoption, did you or Sara have any connection to the disability, community?

Scott MacGregor: I did not, but Sara did. She is a special education teacher by training and was teaching in the schools when we met. When she was younger, you know, maybe preteen, she had seen an article in, one of her mom’s magazines, you know, maybe like Woman’s Day or Good Housekeeping, something like that, about a family that had adopted a child with down syndrome. And she just kind of tucked it away in her. In her heart and said, you know, I. I think I want to do that when I grow up. She had a friend growing up that was an inspiration for, her getting into special education. And she also learned that her grandfather had a brother with down syndrome who had died when he was 7. So she kind of brought me along on the journey. My exposure to people with special needs growing up was, you know, we certainly had a special education program in our schools, but at that time, there was a lot less inclusion. And so you didn’t see kids with special needs that much, maybe in the lunchroom, you know, maybe at the end of your assembly. But there were not, certainly not, the opportunities in the 1980s for inclusion that we have now. And that Abby and, really all my kids have benefited from because my other two are also involved.

David Hirsch: So, Abby is your oldest and you adopted her. So it’s not that common that somebody adopts right out of the starting blocks, but that was your path. And I’m wondering what the backstory to that adoption was.

Scott MacGregor: Well, Sara actually mentioned it on our first date on that park bench, and I said, hey, that sounds cool. You know, maybe not in that moment thinking that it was going to be my reality, but we knew very early, both in that date and then in our relationship, that we were going to end up together. You know, to me, it was always kind of a question of why not? You know, I’ve been blessed with a lot of advantages in life, and, you know, I feel to whom much is given, much is expected. And so certainly there were things about it that seemed very daunting as we entered the journey. And Abby. Abby’s early life was, really taken up by medical challenges, more so than the developmental challenges of down syndrome. She was hit really hard by more of the medical side of things. So she needed open heart surgery when she was three and a half months old. Her lungs were severely underdeveloped. She was a preemie triplet, one of triplets born at 29 weeks. And so she had to be on oxygen until she was 2. she came home from the hospital on, around the clock schedule of medicines. we would have to wake her up in the middle of the night and, and feed her through a feeding tube. So there were a lot of early challenges that were very daunting. But, you know, we entered it with our eyes wide open, and we chose Abby and looking back. It was just part of the adventure.

David Hirsch: Yeah. Well, thanks for sharing. Very ambitious, I might add. And I’m curious to know, at what age did you adopt her?

Scott MacGregor: I was 30, and, Sara was 27, you know, so I had been able to establish my career a little bit. That was around the time I had transitioned to Lilly, and it just seemed like the right time.

David Hirsch: How old was Abby?

Scott MacGregor: so she was about a month old when we

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Scott MacGregor: first met her. We went to visit her in the hospital, and then she was transferred to Indianapolis, to have heart surgery in December. And, she was three and a half months old then. And then we finalized the adoption about a year later. so we’re coming up on the 20th anniversary of that next week. We’re planning to celebrate.

David Hirsch: Well, congratulations. That’s a lot. Thank you. So I’m wondering, as young parents, because Abby was your first, did you have any concerns or any fears along the way?

Scott MacGregor: Well, absolutely. I mean, I’d be lying if I said we didn’t. I think those medical challenges were scary. In fact, our adoption agency would not let us actually take guardianship of Abby until we knew that she was going to survive that. I think the medical challenges were really the biggest thing, you know, financially. We were still fairly young in our careers and, you know, getting established. And I worried about things like, what if I lost my job and didn’t have health insurance? What if her needs were so great that we couldn’t provide for her? But it was all very driven by our, faith, and we put our trust in God and just said, you know what? This is what he wants us to do. We’re going to move forward, and we’ll figure things out as we go.

David Hirsch: I love it. Was there any meaningful advice you got early on that helped you navigate the, early years?

Scott MacGregor: Well, I think, you know, we certainly approached or we entered this journey with Abby from a much different perspective than many parents of children with down syndrome, as many of your listeners know, and parents of kids with down syndrome, it can be a shock to them. And whether that diagnosis comes in utero or, you know, after the child is born, and certainly there’s a grieving period there that obviously your listeners are very well familiar with that. We didn’t go through any of that. You know, to us, this was, you know, hey, we’re. We’re jumping in, you know, with both legs here. And so, you know, I think a lot of the. The great advice that we got, particularly when Abby was younger, was to really lean in on things like, Therapy and focus on those early childhood years as being so critical that birth to three time being so critical for any child’s development, but particularly a child with special needs. And I do have to say, looking back, I think the fact that Abby was able to get those kind of services very early in her life really did set her up for success. she’s very healthy now, very active, and really loves life.

David Hirsch: Yeah. Well, thanks for sharing. you do make a good point about, you know, going in with both eyes wide open and the lack of surprise. Right. This is something that you sought out intentionally as opposed to learning along the, way. That’s a, point well made and not to focus on the negative. But what have been some of the biggest challenges now that, Abby, is 20, 20 plus years old?

Scott MacGregor: Well, her health challenges have continued at various points, throughout her Life. So in 2015 when she was 12, she developed pneumonia that really almost almost killed her. She went into septic shock, her lungs had collapsed. And we were very, very concerned that she wasn’t going to make, make it. Fortunately, she did. She rebounded. And we have a great picture of her the next year around the same time in the, the Atlantic Ocean in Florida, you know, with her arms wide out and looking up and smiling as she looks up at the sun. And those are, you know, two real contrasts from year to year. Yeah. So during COVID we were extremely protective of her and the contact that, that we as a family had with other people, because anyone that’s had severe lung disease like that was obviously going to be at a higher risk. So the COVID period was very difficult. Honestly, we really hunkered down. It was difficult on our other two children who did school virtually and had opportunities to continue doing their activities, but not as many social opportunities. Now that Abby has, graduated from high school, she’s in the adult transition program through the public schools, which she can be until she’s 22. There’s thoughts of her future and being an adult, being able to work, finding employment, certainly filling the void that comes when a, person with a disability graduates from school. And now all those social structures that

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Scott MacGregor: you had for years and years in the school system suddenly go away overnight. And so, you know, those are the kind of things we worry about going forward.

Tom Couch: We’ll be back with more of the conversation on the Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad Podcast in just a few moments. But first, this quick message. Please help 21st Century Dads gather research on families raising children with special needs by having them complete the Special Fathers Network Early Intervention Parents Survey. A link to the survey can be found in the show notes. As a token of our appreciation, each person, mom or dad, who completes the survey will receive a great dad coin. Thank you. Now, back to the conversation you made.

David Hirsch: Passing reference to, Abby’s siblings. And I’m sort of curious to know what impact Abby’s situations had not only on her siblings, but your marriage or your extended family, for that matter.

Scott MacGregor: The time that she was in the hospital in 2015 was really brutal for our family, certainly, you know, our parents, and very specifically for Jack and Ainsley, our other two children. It was right around the time of Jack’s birthday. So we celebrated his birthday at Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital here in Indy. Coincidentally, our boy, that was stillborn Owen that you mentioned at the top of the show. His birthday, his stillbirth was also in October. So, you know, kind of a tough period right there around Jack’s birthday. You know, I would say it’s had both a weighing impact on the family, but also a positive. You know, anytime a family has a family, member that is in a dire situation like that, it’s going to cause, you know, mental stress and anxiety and worry, and that sort of stuff stays with you. you know, and I think through the COVID period, that was always in the back of their heads. In the back of our heads. We’ve seen part of the movie, and we didn’t want to see it again. And so I think that really weighed on them during the COVID period. I think the flip side is that Jack and Ainsley have a real appreciation for both inclusion, but then also the fact that, you know, there’s people in life that go through a lot of things, and you never know what somebody’s going through at any given time. Right. You hear that a lot. But I think it’s certainly, like many siblings of people with disabilities really engendered an empathy and a kindness towards others that, as a dad, makes me proud.

David Hirsch: Yeah, that’s fabulous. Thank you for emphasizing that. I’m sort of curious to know what supporting organizations Abby’s benefited from or your family’s benefited from.

Scott MacGregor: Well, there’s a group that was started here in Indianapolis called Dads Dads Appreciating Down Syndrome. I know you’ve talked with others in that sphere and are, you know, well connected there. I got connected with them after we adopted Abby and started making friends there, you know, was not super involved, but it was a nice support system because even though we went into the adoption Of Abby, eyes wide open. Like I said earlier, I didn’t have any experience with people with disabilities, certainly not to the extent that Sara did. So it was nice to get together with the guys, share stories. I became less active as our family became busier. There’s also another, great program, a center here in Indianapolis. I know it’s a story very close to your heart as well. Gigi’s Playhouse. Abby’s been involved in some activities there. We have really, really, really benefited from the inclusion in our school system. Abby’s had a chance from the time she got into elementary school to be involved in school activities. We have a very strong unified sports program, unified activities at the high school, and a very passionate, coach and administrator that leads that program. And Abby really benefited from that. During her high school days. She’s on the unified track team, which is a two time state runner up here in Indiana. She was even able to join the varsity cheer team as a senior. She’s kind of freakishly athletic, small and wiry, but strong. And so she, she cheered alongside, you know, her typical peers for her senior football season. So we’re blessed to live in a community that not only has resources, but has made inclusion a priority. And it would have been a very different situation 20, 30 years ago. So I think, Abby was definitely born for this time.

David Hirsch: Yeah, well thanks for emphasizing that. It’s pretty impressive. I’d like to talk about, Same As U school, which is a non college post secondary academic experience. Sara, your wife is a co founder along with Jen Sell. My understanding is that it’s been around for about five years and the mission is helping individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities live the life they imagine. And I’m wondering if you can share what was the impetus or the backstory for those two women creating this program?

Scott MacGregor: Well, it’s been an amazing story in both the dedication that they’ve put into it, but also the God element and how they’ve grown it as a faith based kind of initiative. So really at the root of this is what I touched on earlier. The fact that kids with special needs enter the school system as young as three when they can come in for early childhood services and until they’re 22, if they continue in the adult transition program. But certainly until they are seniors in high school and graduate, there is an entire support system that’s there both from an academic perspective and a social perspective. So with all these inclusion opportunities, they’ve had a chance to go to school dances and be at football Games, cheer at football games, be a part of the school community. And then when they graduate, a lot of other kids are going off and starting their lives, whether they’re going to college or they’re starting a career. And people with disabilities are kind of left out in the cold, unfortunately. Even though there’s obviously many people with disabilities that do work and have fulfilling jobs, the disability world is chronically underemployed. And so you have a lot of young people at home that have had this whole support system and now they’re sitting at home, you know, and they’re lonely and there’s not learning opportunities for them. So that’s really the root of why. Same As U started. And there are other, there are some other programs like this around the country. But the genesis was that my wife Sara had had some ideas about how to build something that could help fill this gap. And so had Jennifer Sell. And they had known each other from other down syndrome activities, other disability activities. They got their heads together and they built this thing. Starting with six students in 2020 grew throughout the pandemic. And now they have 100 students that they serve four days a week. They were able to get their own property. It’s really just been a tremendous story of inspiration and dedication.

David Hirsch: I love it. My understanding and review of the website, which is really quite nice, is that there are a, handful of programs including academics, recreation, enrichment, life and social skills as well as vocational skills. And I know that there are some Eligibility requirements. Right. You don’t just accept everybody. And I’m wondering if you can provide our listeners with a sense for what does it take for somebody to be Eligible to participate and Same As U.

Scott MacGregor: Well, I think I certainly would defer to ah, Sara on that. She’s the education director. I think the kind of typical student that will thrive at Same As U. And again, I suppose I should define it a little. It’s kind of a college like atmosphere where students can come and learn and be part of a community and not only have that social structure, but also again, the lifelong learning aspect. And so I think, you know, the students that thrive there are ones that really do want to continue learning. They do academic subjects, you know, math and current events and you know, lots of other things, art, music. So it’s really a place where if a student, a young person wants that community and wants to keep learning, that’s really the formula.

David Hirsch: Gotcha. Well, I know that there’s some Eligibility requirements at the website. So if somebody is More curious they could take a look as well. So I’m thinking about advice now, and I’m wondering what advice you can share with parents, specifically dads, who find themselves maybe with a younger child that has a disability or recent diagnosis.

Scott MacGregor: You know, reflecting on our journey, I think the best piece of advice I could give is to not underestimate your child or people with disabilities in general. Obviously, there are definitely varying levels of what that looks like for people. Some people with disabilities may be able to do certain things that others can’t, but I think not accepting

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Scott MacGregor: that your child will be limited, I guess maybe from a more cliche standpoint, looking at the ability, not necessarily the disability. We were told by Abby’s birth doctor that she would be a, quote, vegetable. And here she was as a senior in high school on, the varsity cheer team. Maybe that’s not going to happen for every child, but I think part of it is seeking out those opportunities that can help your child grow and learn and develop and really reach their full potential, whatever that looks like. Right. It’s going to be different for every child. But just not, not putting artificial limits, I think, on what your child can achieve, whatever that is, it’s great advice.

David Hirsch: So is there anything else you’d like to say before we wrap up?

Scott MacGregor: Well, I think just that I really appreciate. I have appreciated getting to know you a little bit, David, through our previous conversations and learning about the Special Fathers Network. I think this is a fantastic platform for dads to learn, dads to share, to mentor, to be mentored. You know, we need more of this connection in society. And so I just really appreciate the work that you’re doing and others and, have enjoyed getting to know more about this podcast.

David Hirsch: Yeah. Well, thank you. Let’s give a special shout out to Special Fathers Network mentor father Lyle Lichte, who was featured in the podcast episode number 139 for helping connect us.

Scott MacGregor: Yeah, I’ve known Lyle through Same As U. That’s how I met him. But his daughter Claire is also the recreational therapist that works with Abby. So we’ve got a couple different connections there. He’s a good dude.

David Hirsch: Absolutely. So if somebody wants to learn more about, Same As U or to contact you, what’s the best way to do that?

Scott MacGregor: Well, the website for Same As U is sameasu.org so the letter U and all the information’s there. You can contact either Jennifer Sell or my wife, Sara McGregor. It is a local program here on the north side of Indianapolis. But, you know, I would say if there’s anybody out there listening to this that heard of this idea and thinks it’s something that they might want to try building in their community, that Jen and Sara would be more than happy to talk with them. to reach me, you can find me on LinkedIn the letter J Scott MacGregor, or hit me up with a Facebook message on, Facebook. I’m actually under the name Scotty Mac, which is a longtime nickname.

David Hirsch: Okay. We’ll be sure to include that information in the show notes at all. Make it as easy as possible for somebody to follow up. Scott, thank you for your time and many insights. As a reminder, Scott’s just one of the dads who’s part of the Special Fathers Network, a mentoring program for fathers raising a child with special needs. If you’d like to be a mentor father or are seeking advice from a mentor father with a similar situation to your own, Please go to 21stCenturyDads.org. Thank you for listening to the latest episode of the Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad Podcast. I hope you enjoyed the conversation as much as I did. As you probably know, the 21st Century Dads foundation is a 501c3 not for profit organization, which means we need your help to keep our content free. To all concern. Would you please consider making a tax collectible contribution? I would really appreciate your support, Scott. Thanks again.

Scott MacGregor: Thank you, David.

Tom Couch: And thank you for listening to the Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad Podcast. The Special Fathers Network is a dad to dad mentoring program for fathers raising children with special needs. Through our personalized matching process, new fathers with special needs children match up with mentor fathers in a similar situation. It’s a great way for dads to support other dads. To find out more, go to 21stCenturydads.Org.

David Hirsch: And if you’re a dad looking for help or would like to offer help, we would be honored to have you join our closed Facebook group. Please go to Facebook group facebook.com groups and search dad to dad. Lastly, we’re always looking to share interesting stories. If you’d like to share your story or know of a compelling story, please send an email to david@21stcenturydads.org.

Tom Couch: The Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad Podcast was produced by me, Tom Couch. Thanks again to Horizon Therapeutics who believe that science and compassion must work together to transform lives. That’s why they work tirelessly to research, develop and bring forward medicines for people living with rare and rheumatic diseases. Discover more about Horizon Therapeutics at horizontherapeutics.com.

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