The Stuttering Project- Bob Winter
Hello Everyone,
I wanted to say thank you to all the people who have read and reposted my blog, and have given me encouragement and support. It really means a lot to me. As promised, my dad is the next stutterer in my project. Most people who know me are surprised when I tell them that my Dad stutters too. So few people realize that stuttering can be genetic. My Dad has better control of his stuttering than I do. Most people who meet him will not even notice the difference in his speech.
My dad and I have a lot in common but the one thing we share the most is not wanting to “waste a day.” In his efforts not to waste a single moment of his free time he rides horses, hikes with his dog Miley, snowshoes, rides motorcycles, and explores the gorgeous mountainous landscape where he lives on a daily basis. One of my dad’s favorite stories he likes to tell is when I went on a horseback ride with him, my best friend and his dad, Chris. This was only my second time ever riding a horse and it was only supposed to be a little hour-long ride.
Little did we know it would turn into a 6-hour ride, completely off the grid. We rode the horses in snow so deep it was at the horse’s bellies. Unable to walk normally the animals had to leap up and out of the snow to move rather than walk. When we got to the top of the mountain and begin riding down it, I was informed that if we follow the path back it would be 2 more hours of riding. At his point I was already extremely sore and just wanted to get back home and off of this horse. So a “short cut” was suggested. This short cut was short indeed. Rather than taking the horses down the trail we took them down the side of a mountain so steep that the horses has to sit on there butts and us riders had to lean as for back on the saddle while the horse slid down, straight down, while we held on for dear life.
At the bottom of the mountain, relieved that I didn’t fall off, we took the horses across a stream to get back on the trail. The horse I was riding, Darby, later to be know as “Darby the Wonder Horse” because of his ability to ride in any terrain and never question or test any rider. Darby was, however, terrified of water. Rather than walking through the stream like all the other horses he decided to jump over the stream. I didn’t really know what was happening when he jumped, I just remember him landing and I was still on the saddle, which was sideways, my left leg up in the air where my body use to be.,,should have been. My friend muttered “wow” in a tone that implied he had just seen the most impressive stunt in his entire life. I managed to grab the horn of the saddle and pull my self back up. An hour later we were home. Getting off Darby the Wonder Horse in one piece was possibly the most difficulty thing I’ve ever had to do. I managed to swing my right leg over the horse and finally, just as I was home safe and sound, fell to the ground.
My dad said it was an adventure and prides himself on collecting as many adventures as he can and those who venture out for a stroll with him are never denied an adventure of their very own.
Stuttering Project Interview Questions- Bob Winter, Age - 56
· How old were you when you first noticed that you stuttered? 5-6 years old.
· Have you ever received any speech therapy (or any other type of treatment) for your stuttering? How do you feel about the experience overall? Saw a family councilor at the age of 9 or 10. They said I was a middle child. So no.
· How would you describe your stuttering? (What are your challenges, blocks, tricks, etc.?) Having anxiety when it is bad. Learned how to control though public speaking. Having more blocks rather than repeating words.
· How has stuttering helped form you as the person you are today? Working harder to get more self-confident. Had to make goals for self and have to “motivational speaker” mentality to give presentations.
· Do you feel that stuttering has given you strengths that are beneficial? What are they? Giving the drive to be more confident.
· What do you do for a living? I’m a manager at Smart and Final
· What is one thing you wish every person that you come into contact with knew about stuttering? To be patient.
· What is the most common reaction you get from strangers who first encounter your stuttering? It doesn’t happen that often but they try to finish sentences. It was worse when I was younger but doesn’t happen much anymore. I get in the “motivational speaker” mentality, talking with hands.
· When is your speech most fluent? When is it the least fluent? Why do you think that is? Most fluent when less stress and least fluent when I am tired.
I look forward to connecting with you and hearing your story!
-Branden
I INFORMATION ABOUT THIS PROJECT:
I I'am seeking people who stutter living in the greater Southern California area who would be comfortable with both their portrait and story being shared online to raise awareness. If you or somebody you know stutter and are interested in working on this project together, please email me for more details.
