Frank Kane describes himself as having a "genetic drive to work and push the envelope." From his upbringing and familial bonds, and through the gumption of his own strides, Kane has always exceeded expectations and strived for more"”trying to find the "what's next."
The early years
It all began in New Jersey, where Kane was born the oldest of four children to loving parents. Diagnosed with spastic diplegic Cerebral Palsy in November of 1992 at eleven months old, Kane's "straight-shooting" parents constantly encouraged him to navigate the line between asking for help and accepting it, and Kane has teetered that line for the entirety of his life.
Kane states that his parents "never entertained the notion that those with disabilities should be exempt from criticism or accountability," which propelled him to his own independence.
"My Dad left Wall Street for the private sector when I was 7 years old, at which time we moved to Denver, where I lived for eleven years," Kane says.
Some of Kane's fondest memories of exploring his mobility are in Denver. "[It was] the place where my ambulatory life with Cerebral Palsy began. I distinctly remember walking the length of my backyard for the first time as a Colorado transplant and riding a bike for the first time," said Kane.
Well said
With his newfound freedom of motion, Kane also discovered his love of language, rhetoric, and the words that comprise them. Language being the lens through which Kane saw the world, Kane discovered his "concurrent devotion to Catholic prayer."
Kane's devotion to his religion is something he rarely speaks publicly about. However, his pursuit and discernment of the Catholic priesthood were fueled from his time at one of Denver's most well-known Catholic all-male high school, Regis Jesuit High School.
"Regis Jesuit High proved equally formative and instructive, though in different ways," says Kane. "During high school, I held a part-time job for three and a half years." Balancing his life and work isn't easy, but Kane's grit kept him striving for more. After high school, it was time for the time for higher education.
The university years
Kane backed up his bags and headed to the Midwest. He studied at Rockhurst University, a Jesuit university, to study political science. With a bright future, Kane was set. While moving to the Midwest for college was a bit of an area of uncertainty for Kane, he made lemonade of the situation.
moved 600 miles away from home to attend college in a city where I had never been, surrounded by good people [who had been] largely sheltered from the deeper plights of disability and whose Midwestern demeanors and humor differed substantially from my own.
"Navigating an environment as a fish out of water is an experience most learn and grow from at some point with or without a disability, but for me, the experience occurred at the inception of adulthood at a time when I harbored grave concerns about my overall independence as an emerging adult with Cerebral Palsy.
"These concerns remain today but departing for college despite the concerns and anxiety taught me never to make decisions in accord with everything that might go wrong. Making decisions and evaluating choices in this way is a recipe for concluding that it is best to do nothing at all and, consequently, to avoid the fruits of new experiences."
Post-grad escapades
After college, Kane felt something tugging at his heartstrings. With a deep appreciation for religion and a well-formed soul in the Jesuit tradition, Kane figured it was his time to discern his religious vocation.
"I deeply desired to become a Catholic Jesuit priest, but as is the case with Congressman Tony Coelho, one of the primary authors of the ADA, I was not able to do so on the basis of my seizures and other byproducts of my disability," says Kane.
But he knows better than to let that stop him. Now, at age 27, Kane has chosen to focus his passions in new directions.
now desire to use my love of writing, advocacy, public policy, and political science degree to become a disability rights attorney and adjunct college professor. I would one day also love to sit on a Mayor's Council for Persons with Disabilities and serve on the board of the National Catholic Partnership on Disability, though these goals will take years to come to fruition."
Considering Kane's track record, nothing will stop him from reaching his goals. He believes that his life and work have been difficult and trying at times, but altogether fruitful.
Lessons learned
For parents of children with disabilities or special needs, Kane recommends: would advise those with disabilities in my position that their triumphs and trials will very often come at different times than most of their peers without disabilities."
"To the fullest extent possible, accept this and be happy for others during their triumphs and strides regardless of your own state of traction and contentment. Everyone is tested in their own time and in their own ways."
What's more, Kane believes that parents should allow their children to explore their successes and failures as they begin to navigate their environments. would advise [parents] to give their disabled son or daughter more independence than they think advisable or necessary, especially when most inclined to do otherwise."
Finally, Kane highly recommends that individuals with special needs or disabilities find avenues for exercise. "People with disabilities face a myriad of barriers which they confront with varying degrees of positivity and success throughout their lives, but without health and routine fitness, much less will be possible whatever else we strive to achieve.
When it comes to advocacy, Kane believes that it is imperative to ""¦navigate the difficult line between assertive and abrasive. Many do take advantage of those with disabilities in subtle ways and learning to address this behavior in civil, respectful and forthright ways is paramount to self-advocacy and advocacy overall."
Frank Kane currently lives and works in Denver, Colorado in the hospitality industry.
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