My name is Devin, and I am a 23-year-old male born with cerebral palsy. I have worked tirelessly to
contend with the hardships of the disabled experience and have always sought to attain a somewhat
normal life. In 2021, I was set to graduate with three degrees right before my 21 st birthday. I had a well-
paying job in my purview, and at this point, I felt on top of the world, well-primed for success, and
thought I was nothing short of untouchable. Surely, I could now believe, the normalcy I had long desired
was right around the corner.

Unfortunately, this soon changed. I lost my sister, best friend, and primary caregiver to suicide, and lost
all will to live. For the next two years, my life felt hopeless, shattered, and desolate. Now, I was merely
existing, buying time, and waiting for a blessing to enter my life, until, sometime after, that blessing
greeted me in a sparsely decorated evaluation room, and he presented his name as Chad Carmines.
 

At first, I viewed Chad as the usual healthcare provider. Going to see him every week was not something
I wanted to do, but something I had to do. However, I quickly realized that something about Chad was
different. He was a young, vibrant mind with a wide breadth of knowledge, and he was highly qualified-
but this was not what set him apart. It takes a lot more than knowledge and youth to make a young boy
laugh, It takes more than qualifications to make a sad man smile, and it takes more than capitalist
incentive to change a person’s life. For me, Chad has achieved all these things. When I was going
through a rough time in my life, I could look forward to sharing an hour of my time with Chad each
week. Eventually, as our sessions continued, I noticed for the first time in a good while that I was happy
again. Funnily enough, I could laugh again. But most of all, I could love again. In spending four months of
my time with Chad, he restored my faith in humanity. He delicately unraveled my threads of despair and
showed me, not through rehabilitation services but through love, time, care, and effort, how beautiful it
is to be a human after all. Through all the ups and downs, I can confidently say that Chad has helped me
actualize to new heights. He was not just a professional for me, but he was the man who saved my life.
Even as we both move forward, I hold immense gratitude in knowing that I can call him a professional, a
friend, and most of all, a brother for many years to come. Simply put, Chad has saved my life and, to the
best of his ability, reimbursed me with all the joys of living. He is the truest personification of what
humanity ought to be, and if you are willing to work hard, Chad can take you a journey that is truly life-
changing and restorative.