Hello, I am Tonia Boyuk. I am here to give tips to people with disabilities that go into the work force, to better help their relationships with their coworkers and employers.

I have personally been through a lot when it comes to being a person with a disability in the workforce. As we continue talking, I will tell you about my personal history in the work environment. 

The day I was born on March 18, 1968, I was rushed to Children’s hospital from St. Ann’s and had an emergency operation on my back. They had to fix my spine and the equilibrium of my brain was damaged when I was born. That caused my balance to be off and that is why I am in a wheelchair today. I had surgery on my legs as well to see if they could straighten them out. This was done to see if I could walk without having to use a wheelchair at all. The fortunate part was after the surgery I did not have to have braces on my legs. I am still in a wheelchair today with other physical problems.  

When I was born, I had fluid in my brain called hydrocephalus and I had to have a shunt in my head which I have had multiple surgeries on growing up. I had other surgeries along the way growing up. As I was growing up, I fought through things dealing with my disability in life including jobs and other things. My point is, if you have a disability, it does not matter what kind you have physically or mentally, if you are in a work environment you should be able to get along with your workers and employers. Your workers and employers should know that you are no different than anybody else and that you can do anything that anyone else can do in life.  

When I was younger and started looking for jobs, I seemed to get turned away a lot because of my disability. When employers saw me in a wheelchair, employers did not even take the time to sit down and interview me. Being disabled you will go through a lot. I went to interview classes, volunteer work and day programs. I did not let being disabled stop me from looking and trying to find a job. I applied to Nationwide Arena and got an open interview. I got the job a week later. It does not matter if you have a disability or not, you have to show the employer that you can do anything anyone is capable of. Even if you have limitations and it may take you longer to complete a task, you must prove that you can do it and thrive in life. I proved to myself and others that working hard at Nationwide arena and being nice to customers and supervisors/managers that I could do things just like anyone else. I showed the managers and supervisors respect, and they respected me.  

When I first started at Nationwide Arena, I started as an elevator attendant. I proved to myself how good I was by getting customer service compliments. I also received MVP of the month my first year working there.  As time went on things got better and I was an elevator attendant for a year or so. When covid hit things changed and Nationwide closed during this time. This is when I started writing. When Nationwide opened back up, I ended up becoming an usher/guest service representative. I have been at Nationwide for six years now and I am still an usher and guest service rep. Now I also am a roamer where I roam certain sections in the area where I check guest credentials. During other shows and blue jackets games I work in the upper concord in section 214 at the coaches’ wives club where I met the coaches and their families. I check their credentials when they eat and watch the game. I also direct other guests to where they want to go.  

This job has proven to me that I chose the right career in life. It has shown me that the people I work for and with really care a lot and I enjoy working with the guests. When I had problems in the hospital and everything I went through in life and tragedies with my family my work has always been there for me and been like family. This is one reason I really enjoy working there. I seem to learn new things every day. Whatever kind of disability you have, mental or physical, you must find something you are passionate about, and which makes you happy. Whatever your desires are, your needs and wants and whatever you are striving for you can’t quit and you can’t give up. You must keep going with whatever it is. In order to make a point on things and make yourself happy and needed. No matter what your disability is in life and what your limitations are you just must keep on working on things. You cannot let things get to you in life even if people give you a hard time. You always must be positive and not negative no matter what you do.