Episode Summary: In this episode of the Rising Above Dads podcast, the hosts—who are raising four daughters with disabilities between them—share the realities of caring for their girls. Blending wisdom, experience, honesty, and humor, they offer a candid look at a life they never expected. Meet the hosts: Nearly 70 years of combined special-needs parenting! Steve Chatman is married to Lori Ann and has five children and four grandchildren. Two of his daughters have Down syndrome. After 30 years in church ministry, Steve now serves as vice president of Rising Above Ministries. He attended college in Tennessee and seminary in Minnesota and is a frequent procrastinator who enjoys watching YouTube videos. He also owns a banjo, an impressive reciprocating saw, and a tuxedo—though he rarely uses them. Daniel Brooks is married to Dusti and has four sons, including one with Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome. As his church’s Online Campus Pastor, he uses technology and media to help people connect with God. Daniel studied music performance in college and enjoys hanging with his family, supporting his sons’ interests, and singing random songs on the podcast. He is often late to podcast recording sessions due to fixing someone’s car. Dustin Rawls is married to Mandy and has two children, including a daughter born with spina bifida. He works for the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, leads the men’s ministry at his church, and is passionate about discipleship. Dustin has never met an audience he didn’t enjoy. From bowling a perfect 300 to being MTSU’s first homecoming king to earning four degrees, he clearly enjoys proving he can do things no one cares about. Brandon Jones is married to Elizabeth and has two daughters, including one with cerebral palsy. He works in automotive detailing and serves on the board of the local Rescue Mission and Rising Above Ministries. A devoted family man and “Best Girl Dad Ever” according to his wife, Brandon enjoys talking about the Jordan-era Bulls, conspiracy theories, professional wrestling, and reminding everyone of the night he met Hulk Hogan. Related links: Community Groups for Dads: https://www.risingaboveministries.org/community Contact us: schatman@risingaboveministies.org

About the Show Rising Above Dads is created & produced by Rising Above Ministries. To learn more about us and our resources for special-needs families, visit our website at www.risingaboveministries.org. If you’ve enjoyed listening and want to hear more, we’d love for you to subscribe to our podcast or share it to encourage a friend.

*Theme music and editing by Open Mic Studios. https://openmicrecordingstudio.com/