Why Not? Conquering the Road Less Traveled

Why Not? 

by – John Brown (Author)

Conquering The Road Less Traveled

Available on Amazon

Paperback Kindle

Book Description:

Don’t Be Afraid of Failing, in Failing There is Learning.

Cerebral Palsy, a developmental disease impacting motor coordination, affects 3 out of 1,000 births. While medical intervention such as physical or speech therapy, ambulatory aides like wheelchairs or braces, help a child achieve a productive life, John Brown was determined that he would leave his mark on the world.
Born in the early 50’s with a type of spastic CP impacting his gait and balance, but leaving his speech intact, John and his strong willed mother fought against the times’ conventional wisdom and doctors’ predictions that he would never walk. After an early childhood of repeated muscle lengthening surgeries and body braces, he insisted upon leaving a special education school to be mainstreamed in the Philadelphia Catholic, then public, school systems, and went on to play Catholic grade school football and developed a keen interest in high school wrestling and football. After completing a degree in broadcast journalism, he embarked on a 44 year career as an award winning Philadelphia radio disc jockey, traffic reporter and meteorologist, retiring in October 2013. From the childhood specialists who viewed him as just another special needs child, to his first radio program director who called him a diamond in the rough, John was determined to be the best in his field and demonstrate that hard work, perseverance and, some luck, can help one trump the odds no matter the obstacles.
John’s is a story of the American spirit, how tears, determination and true grit can get you to the top.

Reviews for the Book

Very compelling, sometimes almost raw, first-person account of someone who saw only possibilities where others saw only limitations. As a parent of a young adult special needs child, I particularly appreciated John sharing his inner thoughts as he faced life's challenges. I would encourage parents of young special needs children to read this book to gain a better understanding of their children's inner life.
As someone not from the Philly area, I can attest that you do not need to know John Brown the media personality in order to enjoy this story of John Brown the person.
Readers will be surprised by the Rashomon effect that pops up when both John and his wife Donna give their retellings of a critical life event. Anyone who has been married for a long time will especially appreciate (even enjoy) this internal dialogue between spouses and the love for each other that the dialogue reveals. This makes Why Not? not only an inspirational title but a love story as well.
Definitely five-stars, even as the book could have benefited from some additional editing and that the last part of the book almost descends to the hagiographic (although "radiocynic" makes a good point about this last part). I would say that I cannot wait until the movie version comes out, but this is the type of story that "Hollywood" usually fails to treat honestly, but, from John, one learns to always be positive, so perhaps I shouldn't be so negative! - Videodog