Sometimes the most unexpected stories aren’t about what happens—but how someone chooses to live through it.

In this powerful episode of A Joyful Rebellion, disability advocate and author Jennifer Gasner shares what it’s like to receive a life-altering diagnosis at 17—and then keep going. Diagnosed with Friedreich’s ataxia, a rare degenerative disorder, Jennifer was told she’d be in a wheelchair by 20 and gone by 25. She just celebrated her 51st birthday.

We talk about her memoir My Unexpected Life, the difference between the medical model and the social model of disability, and how Jennifer learned to embrace her identity and advocate for others. She shares stories of visibility, vulnerability, and an unexpected friendship with Dave Matthews that changed her life.

Whether you’re navigating disability or just want to better understand the world around you, this conversation is a powerful reminder that value isn’t tied to ability—it’s about being fully human.

• [00:00] Medical model vs. social model of disability

• [01:30] Meet Jennifer Gasner and My Unexpected Life

• [03:00] Diagnosed at 17: The moment that changed everything

• [05:00] A grim prognosis—and why it didn’t come true

• [07:00] From broadcaster dreams to reimagined purpose

• [09:30] Turning 25 and realizing: “I’m still here”

• [11:00] Why Jennifer wrote the book—and who it’s for

• [13:00] Structuring a memoir—and choosing what to include

• [14:30] Embracing the social model of disability

• [16:00] Vulnerability, visibility, and reader response

• [18:00] Judy Heumann, Rebecca Taussig, and other influences

• [20:00] FA’s wide spectrum—and how connection heals

• [22:00] Book events, disability orgs, and imposter syndrome

• [24:00] The Dave Matthews story: friendship and generosity

• [26:00] What nondisabled people often miss—and how to do better

• [28:00] Fear, socialization, and why low expectations persist

• [30:00] Changing the narrative—and being part of the shift

• [32:00] Final thoughts: Worthiness, identity, and perspective shifts

• Website: jennifergasner.com

• Book: My Unexpected Life: Finding Balance Beyond My Diagnosis

• Instagram: @‌jennygwriter

• Facebook: Jennifer Gasner, Author

• Recommended Books:

  • Demystifying Disability by Emily Ladau

  • Sitting Pretty by Rebekah Taussig

  • Being Heumann by Judy Heumann

  • The Anti-Ableist Manifesto by Tinu Abayomi-Paul