Today we’d like to introduce you to David Weesner.
Hi David, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
It all started in Anchorage, Alaska, where I was born in 1985. As a kid, I loved creating videos. I saved up my money to buy a camera and create videos. It was what I loved doing. The main part of my story began in Minnesota when I was 20, living out of my car and not taking any responsibility for my life. I enrolled in college but did not attend. I think I did that to trick myself into thinking I was moving forward in life. I was not doing anything other than drinking, sleeping, or working. Mostly in that order. I eventually realized I was not going to last long doing this, and I needed to make a drastic change if I was going to make anything happen with my life.
I decided to sign up for the United States Marines, and just weeks later, I was at boot camp. This is where I found self-worth and learned responsibility which was the foundation I needed to move my life forward. Was life perfect after that? Of course not, but I finally found something I can build off of.
After 4 years in the military, I used my GI Bill and obtained a bachelor’s degree (proving to myself that I could), then started a job in low-level customer service in Colorado and worked myself up to the customer service manager. I eventually became a procurement manager. I share this because it is a big part of how I got to where I am today. I hated customer service, but I did it. I wouldn’t say I liked procurement, but I did it, reluctantly building a career in that field. All I saw around me were people that worked to work. No one loved what they did. When I talk to peers in the workplace, I hear stories of, ‘this is what I wish I could be doing or ‘someday, I am going to get my dream job.’ All the while, no one around me had the job they wanted and not doing anything to get there. What am I doing? The same thing.
All this information was soaking into my brain when my daughter Braylee was born. I got married, and my family struggled with the rising cost of living in Colorado. By the time Braylee (nickname B) was 2, she had been diagnosed with level 3 autism (the most severe in medical terms). We were in a tough place financially and struggling to obtain therapy services for B. This resulted in the best decision we have ever made as a family. We decided to say goodbye to Colorado and move to Minnesota.
This is where today began. The move gave me the opportunity. It opened the door to finding a career you love and want to do! The problem was that I had no clue what I wanted to do. About 6 months into living in a new place where we did not know anyone and felt completely isolated, I did one simple thing that changed my life completely. This is what led to thriving instead of finding a way to survive the grind of every day. I found myself watching a YouTube video about autism. Specifically, it was a father showing family life with an autistic daughter (Fathering Autism). The realization hit me hard. They were thriving.
This was when my life started to go full circle, and everything came together at that moment. I decided to start recording our life. I started sharing our good moments and the toughest of them too. I wanted to show other people like me, like my family, that we can still live our lives just like I saw in the Fathering Autism videos. 10 videos turned into over 100 videos. As our viewer’s stories flowed in and our story continued to be shared publicly. Something amazing happened, I realized I am doing what I love doing, and I can do something valuable for other people simultaneously. Now, I want to tell everyone who reads my story never to take any small moment for granted. Act on that thought when your dream is possible to be obtained. Personally, I know if I did not make that decision to start when I had that thought, I would still be working a career I don’t want. I would still be dreaming.
I have now successfully been my boss for 4 years. I have big future dreams and plans to make my dreams a reality. This is a huge contrast from when I had nothing to live for at 20. I tell myself every day. I only get to live this life once. I have to do what I enjoy. My family only lives this life once. I have to do everything I can to ensure they enjoy it too.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No. I don’t believe any road to success is smooth. Without obstacles and challenges, I do not think I would have made it to where I am today. The internet in itself is an obstacle. The negativity that comes with having an online presence is a challenge mentally. The harsh words of a bully coming through text hits hard. As much as I want to say, we ignore harassing messages and comments. It is not easy. I am a human, and I have feelings. I struggled with self-esteem throughout my life and the challenge to overcome that with the pressure of the internet negativity is a challenge that affects me more than I like to admit. If I show any emotion or reaction to an online bully, their fire becomes fueled. The harsh words will not stop with no conscience for those who shame those who create. I have control over how I react and what I do. I choose to push out more content, more positivity, more real life, more kindness, and more grace. This drowns out the noise of harassment.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a video creator, aspiring photographer, and future business owner. I have a YouTube channel, Facebook Page, Instagram, and Tik Tok; all focused on my main mission statement. Autism awareness, acceptance, and community. Technically a family vlog, but it is so much more than that. It has turned into an amazing community of amazing people. My goal is to show the world autism. Show family life with a disability. Show that autistic families don’t have to be isolated and can experience life just like anyone else if they want. With my social media presence, I want to show real-life autism, not what you see on TV and in movies. The ultimate goal is for my daughter and people like her to be understood and accepted for who they are; I am most proud of the stories I have been able to share that changed viewers’ perspectives on autism. I am proud of making a difference for autistic people and their families.
What sets me apart? I am me, and no one else does what I do. Are there similar creators that do what I do? Yes, and I love to see it. The more, the better! I have never really focused much on setting myself apart from other creators. Instead of creating that comparison, I create how I want to create and if people like our videos, they will stay; if not, they will go. That is what it comes down to for me. I want people to consume our content based on what I love to do, not what I think they might want to see.
What was you like growing up?
Growing up, I was the kid that wanted to stand out. I looked for attention. I wanted the stage. Being homeschooled, none of that happened, so I created my stage for only me to see. When I got that camera as a kid, I created so many random videos that I would rewatch repeatedly. When I went into public school, I finally got that stage in drama class and increased my video-creating skills in editing classes. I was an actor in my church’s youth group announcement videos and even sang in a talent show at my school. I loved entertaining people. The funny thing about it all is I am very introverted. I struggle with conversation. I struggle with meeting new people and making friends. I have learned to work around that by creating videos.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.weefam.com
- Instagram: @theweefamily
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theweefamily
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/familywee
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/theweefamily
Image Credits
Stacey Weesner
