St. Francis Xavier Parish in Medina is pleased to host nationally recognized professional speaker Rob Snow, who will present “Minimize the Mountain,” a humorous, powerful and motivational show about managing through life’s biggest challenges. The show is at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 11, inside St. Francis Xavier Church, 606 E. Washington St., Medina.
Rob, who is a parishioner, husband and father of two sons, including one with Down syndrome, uses his background in stand-up comedy and several life-changing events to offer seven steps to “minimizing your mountains” to help others come out stronger on the other side. As founders of Stand Up for Downs, Rob and his wife, Ellen, have become national leaders in the effort to educate others about the blessing of people with Down syndrome, and raise money for research and family support, and they present frequently at national and international conferences.
Rob’s talk is sponsored by the parish Respect Life Ministry and will be followed by a reception, information fair and book signing in the lower church hall. Tickets are not required, and admission is free. The material is suitable for all ages.
Rob began his comedy career in the late 1990s in Chicago, where he performed stand-up comedy and studied improvisation at the famed Second City Theatre. After performing on many stages, and appearing in several commercials, he decided to give the real world a try. In 2008, Rob and his family moved to Medina, OH. After not performing comedy for more than eight years, Rob got the bug once again and began performing locally. He honed his craft to take 2nd place in the Ohio and Cleveland amateur comedy competitions, and performed as a feature act at the famous Funny Bone Comedy Club. In 2009, Rob’s life changed forever with the birth of their son Henry, who has Down syndrome. Rob and his wife jumped headfirst into the DS community, and quickly realized the blessing they had. In 2011, Rob transformed his comedy into a one-man show called “We Need a Sign.” This show took off and Rob has performed “We Need a Sign” for numerous disability groups around the country.
In 2014, Rob created “Minimize the Mountain,” which uses his personal journey and stories of managing through his own life challenges, to offer a solution for those not sure of how to move forward when the “mountain” falls on top of them. Rob has now performed his shows for over 100 audiences in 15 states and four countries. Rob’s book “What I Should Have Said” offers possible responses to the comments parents who have a child with special needs often hear. It is funny, sarcastic, and occasionally all too real. These books will be on sale after the show and Rob will be available to sign copies.