I can be your 'Unsung' hero, baby

This June, I had the honor of being a recipient of TEGNA’s Unsung Hero Award. The company each year highlights and honors exemplary employees from stations across the company.

My boss nominated me this year and the committee selected me as one of the honorees.

When I heard the news, I was honored and humbled to be considered. My nomination is definitely a team effort. From my incredible co-workers to my amazing family and friends, my success is only possible with their help.

As a person with a disability, inclusion in the workplace is an important goal for me and 12 News has given me the accommodations and opportunities to succeed a thrive in the newsroom.

To learn more about my award, watch the latest episode of my vlog, “Have a Seat.”

School, standing frames and Spawn at the Sub-Acute Unit

In episode 2 of Have a Seat, I'm chatting about my time in the Sub-Acute Unit of Phoenix Children's Hospital. I cover everything from my various therapies to how I kept up with my school work.

It was a strange, empowering and difficult time in my life, but in the end, it helped shaped who I am today. From learning to breathe on a ventilator to finishing up my freshman year from my hospital room, there is no shortage of memorable experiences.

During my time at the Sub-Acute Unit, one thing I learned was the importance of patience. I wasn’t going to magically start walking overnight. But if I was going to successfully adjust to being a quadriplegic, it was going to take plenty of hard work and determination.

To give you a better visual from my 8-month hospital stay, here are a few photos. I can’t believe it was over 20 years ago.

Enjoy!