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
Joe Blair is a pipe fitter in Iowa who writes in his spare time. He is the father of four, including one autistic son””Michael–who has been both a source of joy and a source of stress.
This story was brought to us by Modern Love: the Podcast, a collaboration between The New York Times and WBUR Boston. It takes essays from the paper’s popular Sunday column and matches them with top talent from the stage and screen. Mykelti Williamson, who played “Bubba” in Forrest Gump and most recently Gabriel in the Oscar-nominated film “Fences” reads Joe Blair’s essay “For The Boy Who Makes Waves.”
For more incredible stories of modern Love, go visit the Modern Love website and subscribe to their podcast.
Then check out Joe Blair’s memoir, By The Iowa Sea, about the joys and sorrows of life on the great plains.
And don’t forget to go see Mykelti Williamson in Fences, directed by Denzel Washington. It’s in theaters now.
Original Score: Pat Mesiti Miller
Producer Credit:
Original Score:
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