My path of triumph, determination, and challenges
BY LIZ PELLICANO
Autistic people have experienced huge disruptions over the past six months. The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on all of our lives, but especially so for autistic people, who are often uncomfortable with swift and unexpected change and can struggle with uncertainty about the future. The pandemic has also shuttered or altered the services and supports many autistic people rely on1.
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Having an autistic brother or sister can pose challenges, but it can also make children patient, empathetic and resilient.
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I know my challenges at times effect how the family reacts to me. Good article. – Greg
In late March, Michelle Byamugisha reached out to a local celebrity in an email with the subject line “A Message for Your Biggest Fan, My Autistic Brother.” It was two weeks into the coronavirus-related lockdown, and her 34-year-old brother, who has significant speech challenges and likes to be called Mark B, was distraught. Deprived of his cooking class, bowling and other favorite activities, he was feeling so low he could barely get out of bed.
As the family discussed what to do, Byamugisha had an idea. Her brother is fascinated by weather and has for years tuned in every evening to broadcasts from meteorologist Steve Rudin of WJLA in Washington, D.C. What if Mark B heard from Rudin directly? That might jolt him out of the doldrums, Byamugisha reasoned. read more