My friend and I were at the park playing basketball when we decided to head out. As we walked to our cars, a man approached us with a great attitude. He had noticed a fishing pole in the back of our trunk and started a conversation about it. That’s how we met Benjamin.

As we got to talking, Benjamin began to open up about his life. He shared some of the struggles he’s been facing—especially with finding work and dealing with the challenges of his disability. He admitted that it gets tough sometimes, not being able to do certain things because of his disability. But even through all of that, Benjamin remained positive. He told us he still feels blessed and that, at the end of the day, we’re all equals.

There’s so much more to Benjamin than we could learn in just one conversation, but it was clear to us that he has a good heart and is going through a difficult time. We asked if we could share a bit of his story in hopes of bringing some attention to his situation—and maybe even helping him get the support he deserves.