“A comedian with a stutter” is how Drew Lynch describes himself on his popular YouTube channel, and that description is certainly accurate. But it’s also misleading, because Lynch is so much more.

His weekly videos feature the affable, earnest Lynch monologuing alongside his ever-patient service dog Stella, or Lynch and Stella rendered in colorful animation for their recurring “Therapy Dog” segments, or Lynch performing stand-up at clubs around the U.S. They regularly rack up tens of thousands of views, winning him legions of fans around the world.

More than making people laugh (the job description of every comedian ever), Lynch’s mission is unique. Yes, he’s a comedian with a stutter, and he often makes his condition the punchline of his jokes. But whether in his videos, on stage, or acting in film and TV, Lynch applies his comedic gifts to dispel stereotypes and convey a message of perseverance, open-mindedness, and positivity.

Lynch didn’t originally set out to inspire anyone — or to be a stand-up comedian, for that matter. Relying on his boyish good looks and stutter-free charisma, he left his native Indianapolis to attend performing-arts high school in Las Vegas and, after graduating, moved to Los Angeles with aspirations of becoming an actor.

While hustling for acting gigs in 2011, he was derailed by a freak sports accident. Fielding grounders for the Flappers Comedy Club softball team, he took a couple balls to the head and throat and woke up with a speech impediment that still afflicts him. Stand-up comedy provided release, as well as an eager audience.

But his biggest break came in 2015, when he came in second place in the 10th season of America’s Got Talent, receiving the rare and prestigious Golden Buzzer courtesy of fellow comedian Howie Mandel. Since then, Lynch has made his condition both a cornerstone and a sideshow of his comedy routines, establishing himself (and a prodigious YouTube presence) and taking his show across the U.S. and Canada.