Lifelong stutterer and award-winning Speaker and Comedian Joze Piranian shares his ongoing journey of confronting fear to motivate others to overcome their own obstacles (their "inner stutter") and fulfill their true potential.
Lt(N) Michael BennettMy name is Michael Bennett and I’ve stuttered since I can remember, and I’m 57 years old! There’s been a lot said about how this condition can affect people and I truly feel for everyone who has to deal with it. But it shouldn’t be used to stop you from doing what you want to do. I used the term “deal with" instead of “suffer with" for a specific reason, because we can control the words that apply to us.
It was a typical morning in the bustling streets of downtown Toronto. I had yet to speak to anyone outside of my home that day. With every step to work, I thought about my initial “listener” who lurked just a few blocks away: an anonymous coffee barista at Tim Hortons.
Movies that feature stuttering are few and far between, and they usually depict it unrealistically or for the laugh factor. There are exceptions, of course. In 2010, the The King’s Speech was released, an uplifting story about the struggles of King George VI as he unexpectedly assumes the throne of England. But three years earlier, to considerably less attention, launched a different film that also featured a stuttering protagonist, Rocket Science. The two films could not be more different.
Greg over the years
My name is Greg O'Grady and I am a person who stutters. I can also introduce myself as a husband, step father, step grandfather, brother, uncle and a manager, etc..
In 2017 I retired after a 35-year career in management with the City of Toronto Long-Term Care Homes and Services. Retirement affords me with Time and Opportunity – Time to reflect, to travel, to rejuvenate, to resume neglected interests and hobbies and to move forward to the next Chapter of life: the Second Act.
Hitting rock bottom can be one of the most beautiful and life altering things we will ever endure. Throughout our lives, we can hit rock bottom a number of times in many different ways. For each of us, this will look very different.