A week or so ago received an email from a good friend, she presented me with an odd yet flattering question. In the course of her job she came in contact with the mother of a young man with cerebral palsy who is having a tough time of it. My friend asked me if I would be willing to introduce myself to the family and share some of my experiences. I remember all too well what its like to be 16 ,have cerebral palsy and navigate the social minefield that is high-school. I decided to write the email, but then I figured the fans of my blog might want to get to know a little more about their favorite sword wielding, cookie slinging, twitterrific guy.
My name is Rick Zengler and I was born with cerebral palsy. My parents insisted that I attend school public school rather then a school that was designed with the disabled in mind. I went through the normal awkward stages that kids go through complete with bullying. My teenage years were tough, they are tough on everyone, the addition of a wheelchair made those years even tougher. I never felt like I fit in with the rest of the kids at school and had periods of depression because of it. I ended up getting involved with High-school sports and that helped provide what I needed to navigate the high-school jungle. I got involved with the football team in the esteemed position of "hydration coordinator" better know as water-boy. Eventually I approached the coach of the wrestling team and asked if I could do something to help out. His idea of me helping out was having me join the team as a wrestler. I would love to tell you that I was the biggest bad ass on the mat but I wasn't truth be told I wasn't good at all, but I finally fit in. I found out from my friends years later that at first the team didn't know what to think when they saw me roll into the wrestling room but over time they saw that despite the difficulties I was having I was hanging in with pace of practice and showing up day after day, It was my dedication that impressed them not the fact that I was in a wheelchair. It took a little time and two summers working in Alaska for me to figure out that I use a wheelchair to get around the wheelchair does not define who I am. Once I figured that out life became a series of obstacles to be met and overcome rather then ones that would cause me to become frustrated and depressed. Don't get me wrong my life has not been all sunshine and puppies, and I've had some tough times, I've been broke, I've been homeless, and I've had relationships fail. I've learned from everything and I've grown. and there will always be setbacks. its just how you handle them and what you learn from those setbacks. Its because of all of these setbacks and what they taught me that I found myself in West Palm Beach Florida entering culinary school, after even after getting resistance from the admissions department, I knew what I wanted and wasn't going to let anything stop me.
I'm Rick Zengler and I make cookies to help make my dream come true. Oh I use a wheelchair to get around, but its not what defines me.
