Yesterday our son Andrew participated in his fourth Surfer’s Healing event at Doheny State Beach. It was a gorgeous day, made only better by the beautiful sea of smiles from the kiddos riding the waves with the pro’s. When we arrived and Andrew realized what day it was (SURFING DAY!!!), he was so excited! He…
Autism is Not an Excuse for Murder: A Mother Selfishly Takes Her Son’s Life
Another child with autism has died, and this time, the victim was murdered by his mom. You will hear many things as this story unfolds. You will hear that raising a child with autism is hard. You will hear that many are hopeless and helpless and left to fend for themselves as they navigate an…
Still Standing
I first noticed her as soon as we arrived. We were spending the day at a local event for autism families; an annual picnic where strangers help chase down bolting kids without having to be asked and there’s no shortage of glorious hand flapping. There was nothing remarkable about her really, at least, not at…
For Hire: One Special Needs Child to be a Tour Guide at Disneyland
Remember that story that was trending a few weeks ago about a bunch of rich folks paying for a special needs tour guide in order to obtain a Disneyland Guest Assistance Pass? You know, that pass that special needs families get as a “perk?” The one that makes their visit to the happiest place on…
Outrunning Andrew: When Our Children with Autism Wander
Those beautiful eyes. That radiant smile. Hers could be his and as I stare at the photo of Mikaela Lynch, a beautiful little girl with autism who wandered from her family home on Mother’s Day last year and lost her life in a creek nearby, I think of all the near misses we’ve had with…
For a Second I Forgot Just How Different They Really Are
Yesterday I took my younger son Ian to a doctor’s appointment. I arrived early, knowing I was going to be subjected to a stack of paperwork that would take me ages to fill out. Except it didn’t: I forget sometimes. I forget just how vastly different the lives of my two sons are. I mean,…
Disneyland Guest Assistance Passes Not a “Perk”
Our special needs son Andrew loves Disneyland; but that’s not what makes him unique. After all, you’d be hard pressed to find a child that doesn’t dream of spending day in and day out at the world’s most famous amusement park. What does make Andrew unique, however, is that unlike many other children his age,…