Why so many special needs marriages break down—one dad’s story of what helps

The Happy Sensory Corner in Special Ed Podcast
May 21, 2025

Our guest, John Fela, shares his personal journey of raising a nonverbal son with autism and finding his role as a caregiving father—after years of not knowing where he fit in.

We cover:

• How dads process disability differently than moms

• What dads actually need but rarely ask for

• What saved John’s marriage… until it didn’t – and how he rebuilt again

• The emotional cost of “not being the breadwinner” in a special needs family

• The power of a single dad friendship – and why it matters more than you think