Episode
Escaping a cult, going blind, & retiring my guide dog w/ Matthew and Paul
- Published
- Jun 3, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 6203
- Processing state
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Summary
This episode is sponsored by: Unreal Snacks, Square, Good Wipes, and Cash App Unreal Snacks: Visit https://unrealsnacks.com/unplanned o get $4 off a bag of Unreal—terms and conditions apply. Square: Get up to $200 off Square hardware when you sign up at https://square.com/go/unplanned ! #squarepod Good Wipes: Head to https://goodwipes.com/UNPLANNED to learn how to snag a free pack of goodwipes! Cash App: Download Cash App at https://capl.onelink.me/vFut/kssum24w and use code FAMILY10 at signup to earn $10 when you send $5 to a friend within 14 days. Terms apply. Today on Unplanned, we sit down with Matthew and Paul — an interabled married couple loved by millions for their honest conversations around disability, identity, and life online. Paul opens up about being diagnosed with a degenerative eye disease that will eventually leave him completely blind, while Matthew shares his experience growing up in a strict religious cult and the journey that led him to finally leave. We also talk about internet trolls, misconceptions about blindness, their dream of becoming parents, retiring a guide dog, and how they’ve built a life centered around creativity, advocacy, and finding joy in the face of adversity. Matthew & Paul's IG: @matthewandpaul Paul's Children's Books IG: @paulcastlestudio Find Paul's books here: https://paulcastlestudio.com/ Find Matthew's music here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/31WEJvJ77B3sv45clvu889/discography/all Guide dog resource mentioned in this episode: https://www.guidedogs.com/ Follow The Unplanned Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/unplanned__podcast/ https://www.tiktok.com/@unplanned_podcast Listen to the pod on Spotify/ Apple Podcasts: https://open.spotify.com/show/1ToDA4ufQuWuEgMq07zN6t https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-unplanned-pod…