The Puddin' Talk

​In a past life, Fabian was living the dream—or at least, his version of it. While working his way through college, Fabian toured the country performing magic, chasing stages and sleeping in airports, believing that passion could defy logic. But then, an illness no one saw coming took away the use of his hands—for two long years. It felt like everything he’d built was gone. But in the stillness, something unexpected happened: Growth.

It turns out, the long way around teaches you more. About grit. About grace. About starting over when no one’s watching. Part story, part show—merging performance with purpose to keep students engaged from the first minute to the last, this is a motivational talk by a nontraditional student about navigating detours, roadblocks, and unconventional journeys. A rallying cry for students and creatives alike, Fabian's journey is a reminder that even when it feels like you’re falling behind, the path might just be winding toward something more powerful. A nontraditional story about chasing a bit of magic—even if it takes just a bit of lunacy.

"I've never let my schooling interfere with my education."  
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​Mark Twain

Take Aways

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• ​Emotional tools for navigating burnout, doubt, and unexpected change.
• A framework for redefining success in a world obsessed with speed.​
• The courage to chase what moves them—even if it makes no sense on paper.​

"It's important to have people like Fabian. It redefines what our students may consider possible and in a day and age like this, we all need a reminder of what that looks like. "
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Texas State University 

"Fabian made what we wanted even better than we thought! We were blown away by his message, his humor, and his mind reading!”
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University of Texas Rio Grande

"We deal in the 'traditionally-nontraditional' but what Fabian manages to convey is what we lack in being able to teach. Namely, that the math doesn't always have to add up for it to make sense. "
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​International Baccaluaarte