Empire Student Andy O’Rourke ’25 Turns Class Assignment Into Debut Memoir
When Andy O’Rourke ’25 was born, his parents were told he might never make a sound. Today, the Empire student is a published author with an associate degree, bachelor’s degree in theatre, and a second bachelor’s degree underway—this time, with a focus in digital communications and sports and entertainment leadership. He also recently launched his own media company. “I never thought I would be able to own my own business,” he says. “Let alone write a book!”
His memoir, “My Disability Doesn’t Define Me: My Roadmap,” hit the stands on October 22, 2026, and was published through BookBaby. The book retells his experience living with cerebral palsy and presents to readers—both those living with disabilities and without—the lessons he has learned along the way. The memoir is O’Rourke’s response to the early predictions of doctors—in his own words, “If they tell you no, prove them wrong with a big yes.”
Hailing from Glens Falls, O’Rourke enrolled at Empire State University in fall 2021 and earned his first bachelor’s degree in August 2025. His book was born out of an assignment for a Stories and Creative Leadership course, with the mentorship of Empire’s Inaugural Director of General Education Lisa D’Adamo-Weinstein. The assignment made him think, “I’m going to write a memoir to help people with disabilities and non-disabled people learn that it’s okay when you have a disability,” shares O’Rourke. He ended up with a roadmap: each chapter presents a scenario from O’Rourke’s life, ending with reflection questions so readers can make connections to their own experiences.
Studying at his own pace at Empire matched O’Rourke’s needs as someone with frequent medical appointments. “The flexibility really stands out to me,” he says. His mentors, the Office of Accessibility Resources and Services (OARS) and his student success coordinator were strong sources of encouragement for O’Rourke to take the leap and enroll in his first eight-week course. “With their guidance and expertise, the experience proved to me that you can really do it—academically, plus in real life—and that’s the Empire commitment,” he says.
A medical diagnosis led O’Rourke to pause his studies for nine months. Still, he returned to classes and writing, and finished drafting his book. To students struggling with setbacks, O’Rourke says: “School will always be there. If you have to take a break and focus on yourself, do it.” Throughout the ups and downs, he found support and community at the university.
O’Rourke’s message is clear: “You don’t let your disability stop you, and you can do everything.” His memoir includes a yearbook-style section in the back, with photographs ranging from baby pictures to present day that outline his milestones—which O’Rourke pinpoints as his favorite part of the book.
A book signing and Q&A session for “My Disability Doesn’t Define Me: My Roadmap” will be hosted at the Northway Brewing Company in Queensbury, NY on November 14, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and is free and open to the public. That’s not all—excitedly, O’Rourke shares that he appeared on Upstate Living on September 24, adding to his list of recent media appearances. With much to celebrate, he gives thanks to his family, friends, and publishing team.