From the time he was fifteen years old and finally came to terms with his own disabilities, Keith Bonchek had the desire to help others as others had helped him. He has had both positive and negative experiences being disabled. Likewise, he has enjoyed times of humor and shared the sorrow of an individual living with disabilities. He has developed the unique insight into being able to see both sides of the coin as relates to the able-bodied and the disabled. Who better to learn from than somebody who has lived in both worlds and can easily relate to each equally?

Today, Keith is working to help bridge the gap between the disabled and the able-bodied by being an advocate, consultant, lifestyle instructor and motivational speaker for large or small corporations, civic and educational organizations, churches as well as individuals. His desire is to see the success in others, that he has found for himself with the motivation that was supplied by a caring and supportive network.

Keith Bonchek was born in Los Angeles in 1962. His grandmother was the first to suspect that he was different from other babies, and she was proven to be correct. When he was one year old, Keith was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy (CP), which was compounded with a severe hearing impairment. Doctors told Keith’s mother that Keith would never speak, walk, drive or even graduate from high school. She became Keith’s biggest supporter and advocate. With her encouragement and willingness to build a support network, Keith learned not only to walk, speak and eventually drive a car, but graduate from high school and attend college. Education did not come easy for Keith. However, he had been instilled with the drive to succeed in education and life by his mother, grandmother, sister, stepmother and others enlisted along the way. Keith stands out as a remarkable example of what can be done, in spite of the obstacles that life puts forth.

Emboldened by his success in education, against all odds, Keith pushed himself to enjoy the fullness of life regardless of his disabilities. He is a licensed contractor and ran his own landscaping business for over 16 years, which employed dozens of people. He enjoys snow skiing, country music and two-step dancing, mountain biking and extreme backpacking. Seeking to instill a resolve in other people with disabilities, Keith has worked with disabled children and adults in many capacities; including camp counselor, basketball coach, ski instructor and most recently as a “life coach” for women and children of abuse and disability. It should be noted as well that Keith is now serving as a member on a number of boards that serve disabled causes. In his life, Keith has been able to overcome so many obstacles and he has been granted the unique ability to help people understand the differences between the disabled and the able-bodied. In so doing, he has been able to help bridge the gap between the able bodied and the disabled.