Ryan“ ROC” O’ Connor sets off for day two of his“ Journey of 1,000 Miles,” walking along U.S. Highway 441 in Mount Dora on Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022. - Patrick Connolly/Orlando Sentinel/TNS
From his career in the Army to a life-changing medical diagnosis in his 30s, Ryan O’Connor doesn’t view life’s obstacles as roadblocks but rather as challenges he can overcome. O’Connor, whose nickname is “ROC,” spent time as a cook in the Army, helping to serve in the name of freedom before having his own taken away by seizures that started at the age of 36. More than a decade later, O’Connor’s epilepsy is an ongoing battle and a force to be reckoned with. “You might not see my medical condition on a daily basis, but it is there and it’s a hidden monster I have to deal with,” he said. “There ...
