Kenny Tedford is one of only two deaf people in the world with a
master's degree in storytelling, which he earned at 55, almost half a
century after being told by teachers and psychologists that he would
never complete the third grade. Oxygen deprivation in utero resulted in
Kenny being born deaf, partial blindness, partial paralysis on his left
side, and an inability to speak clearly until the age of 10. Kenny also
suffers cognitive impairment, similar to the fictional character Forrest
Gump, which gives him the same child-like innocence and leads to the
same sort of hilarious misunderstandings and malaprops that made Gump
both lovable and entertaining. Kenny's life could easily have been
nothing but a depressingly sullen tale of victimhood. Instead, it turned
out to be one filled with a unique combination of joy, humor,
friendship, heartbreak, accomplishment, faith, and peace.