Blog Archives

Wisdom from My Flaming Hot Rod Wheelchair – A “Wisdom & Wonder” TEDxFrontRange talk in 2015

My people and I had the most amazing Saturday in Loveland at the TEDxFrontRange event. If you did not get the opportunity to attend live, we will have a video link soon. It was pretty awesome all the way around and I met some really amazing new friends.

For those who don’t know, TED, Technology Entertainment and Design, first was founded in 1984 amongst the Silicon Valley folks and it began the talks in 1990. TEDx is the local community version of the “ideas worth sharing” ritual made so popular by TED TALKS.

Facebook is famous for TED Talk links.

And so, the talk began:

Hello, my name is Nick Roussos and this is my job coach, Audrey Hendricks. I am so excited to be part of the TEDxFront Range talks this year. I am a man living with [spastic] cerebral palsy, a complication which developed at birth. As a result, my vocal chords do not speak my words.

It is ironic that someone like me, who speaks differently than most people, is giving a TED Talk at this TEDxFrontRange event. It just goes to show how far technology, and more importantly humanity, has come.

Support your local TEDx Talks. They really are ideas worth sharing and we find them in musicians, technology experts, teachers and administrators, slam poets, athletes, and yes, even guys in flaming hot-rod wheelchairs.

Thank you to all the TEDx volunteers and brain children who made it possible to speak.

Posted in Events, family, learning, respect, support, TedX Front Range, Volunteer

Why Try?

Try Kayaking

Try Snowskiing

Try writing a book or poem

Have you ever asked yourself, “why try”?
When something is new are you sometimes afraid to try?
Does it seem like everyone except you is working or doing fun things?

Life is full of roadblocks; for everyone, not just people in a wheelchair like me. So, what if I chose to just sit the sidelines and watch other people being and doing. It would be pretty boring right?

There is a new normal in town and it includes people of all abilities working, participating in sports and volunteering in the community.

To change our circumstances WE need to change. We need to be willing to come outside our safety net and try something new!

Here are some things to ponder:

Stop doing the same things expecting different results.
Try it you’ll like it!
Change yourself by thinking: I CAN!

What do you have to lose? If you know what you want, will make a plan, and then be willing to TRY, you will be amazed with the wonderful things that can happen. Not trying can be our biggest hurdle.

Nick Roussos with Sue Kittel