Join us for an inspiring interview with Ken Kunken, the first quadriplegic graduate of Cornell University and a pioneer in disability advocacy. Hear his incredible journey of resilience, education, and service. Don’t miss the chance to be inspired by his story—watch now and learn how to turn the impossible into possible!
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In 1970, while a junior in Cornell University’s College of Engineering, Ken Kunken broke his neck making a tackle on a kick-off in a lightweight football game against Columbia University. Ken sustained a spinal cord injury at the C 4-5 level, rendering him a quadriplegic, almost totally paralyzed from the shoulders down. Ken spent more than 9 months in various hospitals and rehabilitation facilities. While still a patient, Ken testified before a United States Senate Sub-Committee on Health Care, chaired by Senator Edward Kennedy.
In 1971, almost 20 years before the Americans with Disabilities Act, Ken returned to the Cornell campus, where he completed his undergraduate degree in Industrial Engineering. Ken estimates that he had to be pulled up or bounced down close to 100 steps just to attend his first day of classes.
Ken is the first quadriplegic to graduate from Cornell University.
Upon graduation, Ken decided to change his career goal. He wanted to work with and help people, particularly those with disabilities. Ken went on to earn a Master of Arts degree at Cornell in education and a Master of Education degree at Columbia University in psychology. Ken is the first quadriplegic to earn a graduate degree from Cornell University.
In 1977, Ken was hired by Abilities Inc. in Albertson, NY to be its College Work Orientation Program Coordinator. Ken coordinated a program which provided educationally related work experiences for severely disabled college students. He also maintained a vocational counseling caseload of more than 20 severely disabled individuals.
While working at the Center, Ken became a nationally certified rehabilitation counselor and made numerous public presentations on non-discrimination, affirmative action and employment of the disabled. In 1977, Ken was named the Long Island Rehabilitation Associations “Rehabilitant of the Year” and in 1979 Ken was the subject of one of the Reverend Norman Vincent Peale’s nationally syndicated radio broadcasts “The American Character”.
Wanting to accomplish still more, Ken enrolled in Hofstra University’s School of Law, where he earned a Juris Doctor degree in 1982. Ken then went to work as an assistant district attorney in Nassau County, Long Island.
Ken was promoted a number of times during his more than 40 years with the District Attorney’s Office, eventually becoming one of the Deputy Bureau Chiefs of the County Court Trial Bureau, where he helped supervise more than 20 other assistant district attorneys. In addition, over his years working in the Office, Ken supervised more than 50 student interns.
In 1996 Ken received the Honorable Thomas E. Ryan, Jr. Award presented by the Court Officers Benevolent Association of Nassau County for outstanding and dedicated service as an Assistant District Attorney. In 1999, Ken was awarded the George M. Estabrook Distinguished Service Award presented by the Hofstra Alumni Association, Inc.
Beginning in 2005, for nine consecutive years, “The Ken Kunken Most Valuable Player Award” was presented annually by The Adirondack Trust Allegiance Bowl in Saratoga Springs, NY, in recognition of Ken’s personal accomplishments, contributions to society and extraordinary courage.
In 2009, Ken became a member of the Board of Directors of Abilities Inc., and in 2017 he became a member of the Board of Directors for the parent company of Abilities Inc., the Viscardi Center.
In 2020, Ken was inducted into “The Susan M. Daniels Disability Mentoring Hall of Fame,” as a member of the class of 2019.
In March 2024, Ken was named one of the Long Island Business News Influencers in Law.
Ken retired from full-time employment in 2016, but continued to work with the District Attorney’s Office for the next eight years in a part time capacity, providing continuing legal education lectures and litigation guidance.
For years, Ken has tried to inspire people to do more with their lives. In October 2023, Ken’s memoir “I Dream of Things That Never Were: The Ken Kunken Story” was published.
In 2003 Ken married Anna and in 2005 they became the proud parents of triplet boys: Joey, Jimmy and Timmy. On June 23, 2023 the triplets graduated from Oceanside High School, fifty-five years after Ken had graduated from the same school.
3 Top Tips
1 . Try to improve your knowledge, your skills and your performance. Get the best education possible, and never stop learning. Don’t be satisfied with the status quo.
2 . Strive to make the impossible, possible. Just because something has not been done before, does not mean that you cannot do it now.
3 . Find time to help others. Years from now be able to say that you did everything you possibly could to make not only your life, but the lives of those around you better as well.
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