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184 – Agust Kristmanns of Reykjavik, Iceland, Board Member of Einstokborn, Father of 3, Including a Son with 2Q37 Deletion Syndrome

Our guest this week is Agust Kristmanns, of Reykjavik, Iceland an electrician with three children, including middle child Ingi (20) who was diagnosed with 2Q37 Deletion Syndrome, a rare chromosome condition affecting an estimated 300 people in the world. Because of Ingi’s late diagnosis, at age 11, he was denied access to resources, which prompted the family to sue the education ministry. We’ll hear Agust’s story including his effort to start a Dads Meetup Group in Iceland. It’s a unique tale and one you’ll enjoy on this Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad Podcast. Show Links:Unique Children of Iceland. (Einstokborn) – https://www.einstokborn.is/is/english

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183 – Jason Hsieh of University Park, WA, Founder of LakiKid & Father of Three, Including a Son With Autism

Our guest this week is Jason Hsieh of University Park, WA. Jason and his wife Miho have been married for 11 years and are the proud parents of three children: Moani (3) who has speech delays, Luana (7) who was diagnosed with Leukemia, and Keanu (10), who has Autism and ADHD. Jason is founder of LakiKid, a company whose motto is to ‘Empower Kids To Have A Life Full Of Possibilities’ and that sells sensory tools and toys that help kids with autism and other special needs at school and at home. Jason is also a member of the first SFN

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182 – Dr. John DeGarmo, of Monticello, GA, Father of Six, Foster Parent to More Than 60 & Outspoken Foster Care Advocate

Our guest this week is Dr. John DeGarmo of Monticello, GA. John and his wife, Kelly, are parents to six children and have opened their hearts and home to more than 60 foster children. John is founder of the Foster Care Institute, the country’s premiere resource for all things foster care. His TEDx Talk entitled: ‘Children In Need: Children Ignored’ has been viewed more than 25K times. John has also authored 11 books about being a foster parent — and he’s our guest on this Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad Podcast. Show Links:The Foster Care Institute – https://www.drjohndegarmofostercare.com/home.html John’s Facebook Page

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181 – Don ‘DJ’ Joss of Renton, WA Is The Father Of 21, including 14 Adopted Kiddos & 10 with Special Needs

Our guest this week is Don “DJ” Joss, owner of DJ’s Sportscards in Renton, Washington. Don and his wife, Amy, are parents to 21 children, including 14 adopted children (from China, Guatemala, Ethiopia, Taiwan, and Bulgaria) as well as 10 with special needs. We’ll hear Don’s incredible story about opening their home and hearts as well as their faith journey and more on this Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad Podcast. DJ’s Sportscards – https://djssportscards.com Email – dj@djssportscards.com Phone – 425-235-4357 Apert Syndrome – https://www.healthline.com/health/apert-syndrome Schizencephaly – https://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/diseases/166/schizencephaly Washington State Fathers Network – https://fathersnetwork.org Seattle Children’s Hospital – https://www.seattlechildrens.org/ Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital – https://www.marybridge.org Transcript: Coming

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180 – Josh Poynter of Bowling Green, KY – The Father Of Two Boys With Hemophilia

David Hirsch’s guest this week on the SFN Dad to Dad Podcast is Josh Poynter of Bowling Green, KY who is an estimator with Snake Steel in Nashville, TN. Josh and his wife, Monica, are parents to two boys, Tag and and their second son, Trey who was adopted from China. Both boys have Hemophilia. We’ll hear the Poynter family story including the inspiration to adopt a second child. We also learn about the Hand in Hand Adoption Agency, Kentucky Hemophilia Foundation and Kosair Children’s Hospital to name a few supporting organizations. That’s all on this Special Fathers Network Dad to

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179 – Scott Newport Of Royal Oak, MI, A Carpenter & Father of Three – Lost His Son Evan, At Age 7, To Noonan Syndrome

David Hirsch’s guest this week is Scott Newport, an advocate for those with disabilities and special needs. Scott and his x-wife are parents of three including Evan, who sadly passed away at age 7, after fighting Noonan syndrome. We’ll hear how Scott dealt with this tragic loss, his advocacy for families touched by special health care needs, his writings including being par t of the Chicken Soup For The Soul book, and how he has made unique use of his carpentry skills, on this Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad Podcast. YouTube ‘All Around Me’ – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtTScLpEAfY&t=16s Noonan Syndrome: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/noonan-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20354422 Read about the

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178 – Gary Martinez Of Colorado Springs, A Personal Fitness Trainer, Author & Single Father Of 2, Including A Child With Autism

David Hirsch’s guest this week on The Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad Podcast is Gary Martinez of Colorado Springs, CO, a personal fitness trainer, author and single father of two, including Monica, who is on the Autism Spectrum. We’ll hear how Gary has used his fitness training principles to help train Monica to live a happier and better life as well as how he navigates being an involved single father of two from different mothers. We’ll also hear about his book, “Living Life Through Their Eyes – Our Journey Together On The Autism Spectrum.” That’s all on this SFN Dad

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177 – Louis Geigerman, Founder Of National ARD/IEP, Father Of Two Including A Son With Aspergers Who Tragically Took His Own Life

David Hirsch’s guest this week is Louis Geigerman, founder of National ARD/IEP Advocates, a firm that represents parents of children with special needs in schools throughout Texas. Louis is the father of two, including son Ben, who had Aspergers and tragically took his own life, shortly after graduating cum laude from Texas State University. We’ll hear the Geigerman family story as well as the Benjamin J. Geigerman Lecture Series at University of Texas and more on Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad Podcast. Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA) – https://www.copaa.org National ARD/IEP Advocates – http://www.narda.org National Alliance for Mentally Ill – https://www.nami.org

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176 – U.S. Army Colonel Mark Huhtanen Of Columbia, SC Is A 25 Year Combat Veteran With A 15 Year Old Non-Verbal Son With Autism

David Hirsch’s guest this week is Colonel Mark Huhtanen of Columbia, SC, a 25 year combat veteran of the US ARMY, who has served four active duty tours, and is the father of two, including a non-verbal son with Autism. Mark and his wife, Shelly, have been married for 18 years and are the proud parents of two boys;Hayden (17) and Broden (15) who is non-verbal and has Autism. Serving in the military and raising a family presents unique challenges. Raising a child with special needs, while serving in the military requires an extra level of dedication and additional resources like

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175 – Dr. Harsha Rajasimha, Founder of Jeeva Informatics, Lost A Child To Edwards Syndrome (AKA Trisomy 18) Shortly After Birth

Our guest this week is Dr. Harsha Rajasimha of Herndon, VA who is the father of three as well as CEO and Founder of Jeeva Informatics, a human-centric software as a service, also known as SaaS, enabling clinical research at scale. Harsha and his wife, Ashwini, have been married for 16 years and are the proud parents of three daughters: Amulya (14), Mytri (7) and middle daughter Kahushi who, very sadly, died in 2012, shortly after birth due to Edwards Syndrome, also known as Trisomy 18, which is a rare congenital disorder. Harsha is also founder of Indo-US Organization For Rare

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174 – Jeremy Knakmuhs of Colorado Springs, CO Who Is The Father Of Three Including A Daughter With PFIC Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad Podcas

Our guest this week is Jeremy Knakmuhs of Colorado Springs, CO who is a structural project engineer at CTL Thompson. Jeremy and his wife, Emily, have been married for 8 years and are the proud parents of three children: Colton (6), and three year old twins: Remi and Kennedy, who has PFIC, which is Progressive Familial Intrahepatic Cholestasis, a rare genetic liver disorder that affects infants and children. We’ll hear the Knakmuhs family story and how Jeremy and Emily have navigated the ups and downs of raising three children, including one with special needs. That’s all on this Special Fathers Network

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173 – Marilyn York of Reno, NV Who Is The Mother Of Four & A Family Law Practitioner Who Specializes In Men’s Rights

Meet Marilyn York of Reno, NV the mother of four and one of the country’s top family law practitioners who leads an all female practice specializing in men’s rights. Marilyn and Mike, her fourth husband, have been married for six years and are parents to a four year old son. Marilyn in also a mom to three other children ranging in age from 14 – 25 from previous marriages. Marilyn was born and raised in San Jose, CA until age 13 when the family moved to Reno, NV. Shehas an extraordinary and unique relationship with her dad who is a serial

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172 – Greg Hubert of Torrance, CA & Leader At Joni & Friends, Reflects On Having Three Boys On The Autism Spectrum

Meet Greg Hubert of Torrance, CA, who is an executive at Joni & Friends, the Christian Global Disability Ministry and father of three boys on the Autism spectrum. Greg and his wife, Gina, have been married for 33 years and are the proud parents of three boys; Zachary (29), Tyler (27) and Tate (23), who are all on the Autism spectrum. Greg reflects on his Faith, his career in the medical device sales industry, the call to do work at Joni & Friends, and the rather unusual as well as dysfunctional relationship with his biological father. We also learn a great

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171 – Dan Habib of Concord, NH, Father of a Son with GNAO1 & Award-Winning Nationally Recognized Documentarian

Our guest this week is Dan Habib, an outspoken advocate for the disabled, a gifted photojournalist and award winning documentarian. One of those documentaries is “Including Samuel” which profiles his 21 year old son, Samuel, who was diagnosed with GNAO1, a rare neurodevelopment disorder. Other award winning films include: “Mr. Connolly Has ALS” and “Intelligent Lives.” We’ll hear about Dan’s advocacy for those touched by disability, about his family, the documentaries as well as how Samuel continues to thrive and inspire, all on this Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad Podcast. LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/danhabib/ Email – dhabib@wihd.org Dan’s TedX Talk: “Disabling Segregation” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izkN5vLbnw8

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170 – Paul Mannino, CFO At The Archdiocese of Chicago And Father Of Four, Including A Daughter With Down Syndrome

Our guest this week is Paul Mannino of Libertyville, IL, who is CFO at the Archdiocese of Chicago and the father of four, including Sofia (18) who has Down syndrome. Paul talks very openly and authentically about his career, which included overseas assignments, his family and recent divorce. We’ll hear Paul’s story on this Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad Podcast. LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulvmannino/ Western DuPage Special Recreation Association – https://www.warrenvilleparks.org/programs/wdsra/ Transcript: Coming Soon

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169 – Frederick Jefferson of Houston, TX – Army Veteran & Founder Of Man II Man, A Group For Dads Raising Children With Autism

Our guest this week is Frederick Jefferson of Houston, TX, who is the father of three, an Army veteran, retiree from the Department of Justice Bureau of Prisons and founder of Man II Man, a non-profit effort serving families raising children with special needs. Frederick was inspired to create Man II Man based on his experience raising his daughter, Jasmine (22), who has Autism. We’ll hear Frederick’s story on this Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad Podcast. Blue Skies Over Autism – http://blueskyesoverautism.com/index.html Man II Man. http://blueskyesoverautism.com/man-ii-man-support-group.html Transcript: Coming Soon!

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168 – John Rosemond, Family Psychologist, Author, Speaker & ‘America’s Most Widely Read Parenting Expert’

Our guest this week is John Rosemond of New Bern, NC, who is the father of two, grandfather of seven, a licensed family psychologist, the author of a dozen books on childrearing, a widely syndicated columnist, a sought after speaker and by some measure: “America’s Most Widely Read Parenting Expert.” Some of the book titles include: “Grandma Was Right After all” “Parenting By The Book” and“The Well Behaved Child” John is syndicated in approximately 225 newspapers nationwide and has the longest running continuous newspaper column, for a record breaking 45 years. We’ll hear his thoughts on raising children, the importance of

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167 – Mike Ensminger of Conroe, TX – A Stepfather To Three, Including A Son With Autism, Shares His Journey

Our guest this week is Mike Ensminger of Conroe, TX. Mike is the father of three, including Aaron, 15, who is autistic. We’ll hear about Mike’s journey as a stepfather to a child with special needs, about his faith walk and much more on this Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad Podcast. Blue Skies Over Autism – http://blueskyesoverautism.com Night of Superstars Houston – http://www.nightofsuperstars.org/houston/ Autism On The Seas – https://autismontheseas.com Mike’s Cell # – 469-733-7364 Transcript: Tom Couch: Special, thanks to horizon therapeutics for sponsoring today’s special father’s network, dad to dad podcast, working tirelessly to research, develop and bring forward medicines for people

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166 – Dr. Taruj Ali – Father of Three & A Pulmonologist Reflects On Raising A Son With Severe Autism

Our guest this week is Dr. Taruj Ali, a pulmonologist and father of three, including Daanish (20) who has severe Autism and is non-verbal. We’ll hear the Ali family story and with the help of organizations like MUHSEN, the PANDAS Center and Autism Society of Central VA, how they have helped Daanish live a happy and satisfying life. That’s all in this Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad Podcast. MUHSEN – www.muhsen.org The Autism Society of Central Virginia: https://ascv.org PANDAS Center, Richmond, VA – https://www.medicinenet.com/pandas/richmond-va_city.htm Transcript: Tom Couch: Special, thanks to horizon therapeutics for sponsoring today’s special father’s network, dad to dad podcast, working

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165 – Chad Lunt of Menlo Park, CA Reflects On Raising A Daughter with Type 1 Spinal Muscular Atrophy

Our guest this week is Chad Lunt of Menlo Park, CA. Chad is married to Cherisse and they have three children including Lucy, age 12, who has Type 1 Spinal Muscular Atrophy. We’ll hear how the Lunt family through their faith, along with help from the Tess Research Foundation, the Gwendolyn Strong Foundation and the miracle drug Spinraza has helped Lucy overcome. And about their hopes for the future in this Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad Podcast. Tess Research Foundation – https://www.tessresearch.org Gwendolyn Strong Foundation – https://nevergiveup.org Email Chad – chad.t.lunt@gmail.com Cherisse’s Instagram: @chertlunt Transcript: Tom Couch: Special, thanks to horizon therapeutics

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164 Brian Martin – Father Of Twin Boys Born at 23 Weeks Weighing A Total Of 28 Ounces, The Smallest Ever To Survive & Thrive

Our guest this week is Special Father Brian Martin, father of eighteen-year-old twins born at 23 weeks, weighing 11 ounces and 1 lb 1 once, the smallest surviving twins on record. We’ll hear about health issues they experienced after birth and how they are persevering despite Tyler’s Autism and Calahan’s Cerebral Palsy. That’s all on this Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad Podcast LindedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-martin-06774470/ On Instagram send a direct message to Brian at: #bmartinsports Parents of Exceptional Children – https://www.tricountyresourcenet.org/search/bernards-parents-for-exceptional-children-pec/ A Seat At The Table Foundation Facebook – https://m.facebook.com/A-Seat-at-the-Table-Foundation-2054459918183793/?ref=page_internal Transcript: Tom Couch: Special, thanks to horizon therapeutics for sponsoring today’s special father’s

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163 – Jim Stovall Founder Of The Narrative TV Network, Author of 51 Books And Gifted Speaker, Despite Being Blind.

Sometimes you come across a person who seems almost superhuman. A person who overcomes every obstacle thrown their way and constantly breaks new ground. Today’s guest is such a person. Jim Stovall, who lost his sight before age 30 is founder of the Emmy Award winning Narrative Television Network, author of 51 books, many of which have been made into major motion pictures, including “The Ultimate Gift.” Jim is also a voracious reader, reading one book a day for the past 25 years. Jim is a gifted and inspiring speaker, who is respected by people around the world. It is with

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162 – Bailey Pratt, Father of Three, Co-Founder of The Jiselle Lauren Foundation, Named After His Daughter with Rett Syndrome

Our guest this week is Bailey Pratt of Franklin, TN. Bailey and his wife Jill are parents to three children, including Jiselle who has Rett Syndrome, a rare neurological genetic disorder that causes severe muscle movement disability. We’ll hear the Pratt family story including the creation of The Jiselle Lauren Foundation on this Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad Podcast. The Jiselle Lauren Foundation – https://www.thejisellelaurenfoundation.org FB Page – https://www.facebook.com/watch/thejisellelaurenfoundation/ Email – bailey.pratt@thejisellelaurenfoundation.org International Rett Syndrome Foundation – https://www.rettsyndrome.org Rett University – https://rettuniversity.org Transcript: Tom Couch: Special, thanks to horizon therapeutics for sponsoring today’s special father’s network, dad to dad podcast, working tirelessly to research,

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161 – Canadian Entrepreneur Chris Jones, Father of Two, Including A Son With Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD)

Our guest this week is Canadian entrepreneur Chris Jones, father of two boys; Trey (14) and Derek (17), who has Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), also known as Dyspraxia. Interestingly, DCD impacts 1:20 youth, three times more prevalent than Autism, but goes mostly undiagnosed or mis-diagnosed. We’ll hear about Chris, his family, his experience as a successful entrepreneur, his passion for coaching business owners and entrepreneurs and DCD. That’s all on this Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad Podcast. Strategic Traction – www.StrategicTraction.ca EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) Worldwide – https://www.eosworldwide.com Dyspraxia Foundation (UK) – https://dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk/about-dyspraxia/ Dr. Pauline Kamps – https://drkamps.ca Book by Dr. Pauline Kamps –

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160 Osman Arain – A Financial Advisor of Pakistani Descent Reflects on Raising a Child Who is a Spastic Quad with CP & Autism

Our guest this week is Osman Arain, who is the father of four including Sarina, his oldest, who is a spastic quadriplegic with Cerebral Palsy and Autism. Osman was born in Scotland, raised in England and moved to U.S. where he went to college at Dartmouth and graduate school at Columbia. He is a financial advisor with Romano Brothers & Co. Wealth Management in Evanston, IL. Osman reflects on his marriage to his lovely wife, Saba, being the father of four girls and the challenges of maintaining work-life and family balance We’ll hear Osman’s family story on this Special Fathers Network

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Mission & Vision

Mission Statement
 Improving the lives of children by raising awareness and resources for greater father involvement; and inspiring dads to be present —physically, emotionally, financially and spiritually.

Vision Statement
That all children will grow up with a loving, caring and nurturing father and family.

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