Kenneth Kunken on Making the Most of a Bad Situation

Find Your Leadership Confidence Podcast

Host: Vicki Noethling
Guest: Kenneth (Ken) Kunken

Today’s Interview Title: Making the Most of a Bad Situation

What does it truly mean to rise after life delivers the unimaginable?

In this powerful and deeply inspiring episode of the Find Your Leadership Confidence Podcast, host Vicki Noethling sits down with Kenneth Kunken—a man whose life is a masterclass in resilience, purpose, and redefining what’s possible.

At just 20 years old, Ken broke his neck playing football for Cornell University, leaving him almost completely paralyzed from the shoulders down. After a long and grueling hospitalization, Ken made the courageous decision to return to Cornell, where he completed his undergraduate degree in engineering. He went on to earn a Master of Arts in Education from Cornell, a Master of Education in Psychology from Columbia University, and became a nationally certified rehabilitation counselor.

Driven by a desire to serve others and make an even greater impact, Ken later enrolled in Hofstra University’s School of Law. He spent more than 40 years as a Nassau County Assistant District Attorney, ultimately rising to the role of Deputy Bureau Chief—an extraordinary achievement by any standard.

Ken is also a devoted husband and the proud father of triplet sons. In 2023, he shared his remarkable life journey in his book, I Dream of Things That Never Were: The Ken Kunken Story.

In this conversation, Ken shares candid insights on perseverance, purpose, and what it takes to keep moving forward—physically, mentally, and emotionally—when life doesn’t go according to plan.

Some questions asked and answered include:

Please share a bit about your journey that led you to what you do today
Why is it important to keep expectations high for yourself and for others?
What keeps you going, even during the hardest moments?
What motivates you to be the best you can be?

This episode is a powerful reminder that leadership, confidence, and purpose are not defined by circumstances—but by choice.

🎧 Tune in and discover how to make the most of a bad situation… and turn it into a life of impact. https://youtu.be/kenneth-kunken

Promoting memoir: “I Dream of Things That Never Were: The Ken Kunken Story,” published in 2023. If anyone is interested in purchasing the book from outside the US or Canada, the Kindle version is available through Amazon.com (the US version, not the regional like Amazon.eu or .pl). Here is the link: https://a.co/d/1t1UWIN

Send Audience To: https://kenkunken.com/

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Connect With Our Guest

Website: https://kenkunken.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61566473121422

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenneth-j-kunken-b4b0a9a8/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ken.kunken/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/@Ken.Kunken

Ken Kunken broke his neck playing football for Cornell University in 1970, leaving him almost totally paralyzed from the shoulders down. After a lengthy hospitalization, Ken returned to Cornell where he completed his undergraduate degree in engineering. Ken then earned a Master of Arts degree at Cornell in education, as well as a Master of Education degree at Columbia University in psychology. Ken became a nationally certified rehabilitation counselor. He worked for more than two years at Abilities Inc., where he provided vocational and placement counseling to severely disabled individuals. Wanting to accomplish still more, Ken enrolled in Hofstra University’s School of Law. Ken then worked for more than 40 years as a Nassau County assistant district attorney, where he became a Deputy Bureau Chief. Ken is married and the father of triplet boys. “I Dream of Things That Never Were: The Ken Kunken Story” was published in 2023.