Will Blodgett, Founder and CEO of Tredway, a real estate developer dedicated to creating affordable and mixed-income housing, was recognized for his achievements by The American Institute for Stuttering (AIS). The honor came during the organization’s 18th Annual Gala, hosted by actress Emily Blunt, in New York City. The event raised over $1 million to support AIS’s mission of providing free or low-cost speech therapy to individuals who stutter.
Blodgett, an AIS board member and vocal advocate for the stuttering community, received the Freeing Voices Changing Lives Award. This prestigious award celebrates individuals who have achieved professional success despite their stutter, demonstrating that it doesn’t have to be a barrier to achieving their goals. Past recipients of the award include notable figures like President Joseph R. Biden, actors Colin Firth, Samuel L. Jackson, and Bruce Willis, singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran, and former New Jersey Governor Thomas H. Kean.
Expressing his gratitude, Will said, “It is an incredible honor and privilege to join the ranks of those who’ve turned a speech impediment into a way to engage with other people on a deeper level and with greater empathy and understanding.” He added, “I’m humbled to be in a position to give back to The American Institute for Stuttering and make life-changing therapy and support available to those who stutter while educating the wider public about this complex neurologic and genetic condition.”
During his speech at the event, Will shared his deeply personal story. He described how he was relentlessly bullied for his stutter throughout his childhood, leading to difficulties in both his academic and social life. Lacking access to the specialized speech therapy that AIS provides, he experienced frustration and anger during his teenage years. He found solace and a way to harness his emotions on the football field.
Will’s journey continued with him earning a scholarship to Yale University and subsequently MIT. He candidly reflected, “In the past, I would wake up with this pit in my stomach that the world thinks I’m stupid, the world hates me, and I have to prove them wrong. Now it’s, ‘I have to come through for my friends. I have to come through for my family, for my wife and kids. I have to show them how to take down bullies, how to fight and be courageous, how to get up in front of a room of 420 people and stutter and talk. That’s what inspires me now.”
For over two decades, the American Institute for Stuttering has been instrumental in helping thousands of individuals from over a dozen countries worldwide speak freely and live without fear. Through scholarships ensuring accessibility for all, AIS works with clients to accept and manage their stutters, empowering them to break free from the physical and emotional barriers that make speech difficult.
