Raising a child with special needs can feel overwhelming and isolating—especially for dads who often don’t know where to turn. In this episode of Single Parent Success Stories, disability advocate John Fela shares his personal journey as a father of a child with autism and the lessons that helped him move from feeling lost to finding support, community, and purpose.
John opens up about the emotional and mental weight many parents carry, the challenges of navigating Education and independence for children with disabilities, and why connection and resources matter more than doing everything “right.” This conversation highlights the importance of empathy, self-care, and not trying to handle special needs Parenting alone.
If you’re a single parent or caregiver raising a child with disabilities and feeling unsure, exhausted, or isolated, this episode offers reassurance, perspective, and hope.
🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:
• Why dads often feel unprepared for special needs parenting
• How isolation impacts parents emotionally
• The role of community and support networks
• How to find resources for special needs education
• Why empathy and self-care matter for the whole Family
This episode is a reminder that you don’t have to have all the answers—and you don’t have to do this alone.
📚 MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
“Angela’s Ashes” by Frank McCourt: https://amzn.to/4pUI74N
“Secrets of the Bulletproof Spirit” by Azim Khamisa with Jillian Quinn: https://amzn.to/4rcz0x8
🔗 CONNECT WITH JOHN FELA:
👉Website: https://www.johnfela.com
👉Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/johnsspecialneedsblog
👉Instagram: https//www.instagram.com/john_fela_1
👉LinkedIn: https//www.linkedin.com/johnfela
👉X: https//www.x.com/jfelageller74
☕ Support the podcast:
https://account.venmo.com/u/Irina-Shehovsov
📖 Explore Irina’s books:
https://www.irinashehovsov.com/mybooks
↗️ Join Podmatch to find guests for your podcast or become a guest on other people’s podcasts (affiliate link):
https://www.joinpodmatch.com/irina
