ABOUT THIS EPISODE
How do you keep going when life changes everything? How do you overcome adversity, build resilience, and find meaning after a life-changing experience?
At 20 years old, Ken Kunken broke his neck playing football for Cornell University in 1970, leaving him almost totally paralyzed from the shoulders down.
After a lengthy hospitalization, Ken returned to Cornell and completed his undergraduate degree in engineering. He went on to earn master's degrees from Cornell and Columbia, became a nationally certified rehabilitation counselor, attended law school, and eventually spent more than 40 years as a Nassau County Assistant District Attorney.
But this isn't just a story about overcoming adversity.
It's about resilience, personal growth, self-belief, family, purpose, success, relationships, trust, and learning how to keep going when life doesn't go according to plan.
In this episode, Ken and Anna talk about:
• How Ken rebuilt his life after his spinal cord injury
• Why resilience isn't about controlling what happens, but how you respond
• Finding meaning through helping other people
• Believing in yourself when others tell you what you can't do
• Why asking for help can be so difficult
• What actually makes a life successful
• Why Ken considers his family his greatest achievement
• How Ken and Anna built their relationship around trust
• Why trust matters in marriage, friendship, parenting and work
• Why you should never give up, even when life changes everything
Anna also shares the unexpected story of how she met Ken after moving from Poland to the United States.
A deeply human conversation about resilience, adversity, love, family, trust and what it means to build a meaningful life.
About Ken Kunken & Anna
Ken Kunken broke his neck playing football for Cornell University in 1970. He went on to graduate from Cornell, earn master's degrees from Cornell and Columbia, become a nationally certified rehabilitation counselor, attend Hofstra University's School of Law, and work for more than 40 years as a Nassau County Assistant District Attorney, eventually becoming a Deputy Bureau Chief.
Ken is married and the father of triplet boys. His story is told in his 2023 book, I Dream of Things That Never Were: The Ken Kunken Story.
Anna shares his journey as his wife and partner.
Follow Kenneth:
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenneth-j-kunken-b4b0a9a8/
Website: https://kenkunken.com/
Follow us:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theignitedneuronspodcast
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/utkarsh-narang
Subscribe to The IgnitedNeurons Podcast for conversations about personal growth, resilience, leadership, relationships, success and building a meaningful life.
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