Michael “Mikey” Brannigan is a 23 year old runner from Huntington, New York He is the first American with autism to win the gold in the 1500 meter race of the Paralympics. He is also the first runner with autism to competitively break four minutes in the mile. His goal is to compete in the 2024 Olympics in Tokyo. Mikey Brannigan is an Autism Light because he serves as an inspiration for others with autism as he achieves greatness in running and grows through his challenges in life.
Mikey Brannigan was diagnosed with autism at age 2. His parents Edie and Kevin Brannigan took him to a running club for kids with special needs called “Rolling Thunder”. He excelled in the club under the training of coach Steve Cuomo.
Mikey Brannigan graduated in 2015 from Northport High School in Huntington, New York. He was one of the top track athletes in the country in 2015 and received letters of interest from colleges throughout the United States. However, because of his learning disability he could not meet the academic requirements of the NCAA and did not attend college.The following is a biographical video of Mikey Brannigan from when he was awarded the High School Athlete of the. Month by Sports Illustrated.
When asked if his autism makes him a better runner, Mikey Brannigan said that it makes him “a better person.” Today Sonja Robinson coaches Mikey Brannigan and keeps him going toward his goal of qualifying for the 2024 Olympic in Tokyo (For more information see “Coach Sonja Robinson Keeps Mikey Brannigan On Track”). Mikey practices at the New York Athletic Club, who sponsors some of his travel expenses for events. The following is a video of the NBC news story about Mikey Brannigan winning the Gold Medal for the Paralympics in 2016.
For more information on Mikey Brannigan read these stories and blog posts about his achievements.
Special thanks to Mikey Brannigan for being an Autism Light. He serves as an inspiration to many families with autism and demonstrates how running can potentially help those with special needs to shine. We wish Mikey best of luck in training for the Olympics. We expect to hear great things from Mikey Brannigan in the years to come.
Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.
Brian Schnelle is a 31 year old man from the Old Hickory area of Nashville, Tennessee, who has autism. Brian spent 12 years as a student at Trevecca Nazarene University, and in May 2019 graduated with honors with a bachelor's degree in sports management. Brian Schnelle is an Autism Light because his perseverance in college serves as an inspiration to other autism families.
Annual Award Established at Trevecca: "Brian's perseverance inspired the administrators and teachers in the Department of Exercise and Sports Science to establish an annual award in his honor. Brian was the first recipient of the Brian Schnelle Perseverance Award (Tennessean, Jessica Bliss, May 10, 2019)."
The following is a video about Brian Schnelle's experience in college and his graduation.
Parents: Brian's parents Jeff and Jane Schnelle were his foster parents when he was 1, and formally adopted him when he was 3. At age 7 he was diagnosed with autism. Despite needing the ongoing care of his parents to this day in many elements of his life, Brian loves to study. Jeff Schnelle attended almost every day of college with his son, because Brian lived at home and couldn't drive himself to school. Brian's dad would sit in the back of the classes he was taking.
Jeff Schnelle said this word of encouragement for autism parents. "There's a lot of people who are struggling with a loved one on the spectrum, and they're not sure what's going to happen next or how they are going to cope. You do learn to live day-by-day, you don't look too far into the future...There are days when you are not sure you're going to get through it. When you're not seeing the progress you want to see. But then you look back and you think, 'Wow, this is remarkable. he's done so much (As quoted by Jessica Bliss, Trevecca student with autism graduates after 12 years, Tennessean, May 10, 2019)."
Brian Schnelle, who is on the autism spectrum, began working toward his bachelor’s degree in sport management in 2007. Tomorrow, he'll graduate. He has inspired us all. Read his story here. #tnuclassof19https://t.co/TIIrm2q7Ey
Brian received support in college at Trevecca's Center for Leadership, Service and Calling, where he independently took all his tests in a comfortable environment. His accommodations included giving a few weeks advance notice on the due date of papers from his professors so that he could write a small amount each day toward the paper. While he received supports, Brian had to do all his own work toward his degree, which meant to be successful he had to work at it for 12 years and concentrate on completing a few classes each year toward his program.
For more information on Brian Schnelle please see the following articles:
Special thanks to Brian Schnelle for being an Autism Light. His experience in college inspires other students with autism. We wish Brian Schnelle all the best in the next chapter of his life and hope he inspires other young people to go to college, even if it takes more than the traditional 4 years to complete their goal.
Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.
Tarik El-Abour is a 25 year old with autism from San Marino, California. After playing college baseball and two seasons of baseball for the Empire Pro Baseball League, Tarik El-Abour received a minor league contract from the Kansas City Royals in April 2018, making him by all accounts the first player with autism ever to be signed by a major league baseball organization. Tarik El-Abour is an Autism Light because of how his groundbreaking achievement in baseball will encourage others with autism to follow their athletic dreams no matter how high they may be.
After Tarik was diagnosed with autism at age 3, his mother Nadia Khalil quit her corporate job and went to UCLA to get an education in Special Education in order to help her son. She is now a popular author, speaker and teacher of self development. Nadia Khalil says this about her son.
"Those of us without autism think in concepts, he thinks in numbers. The greater the number of times he did anything, the better he was at it. Just like us. However, the way the numbers worked in his mind went way further than anything I could have yet imagined. He knew he had to practice. He knew he loved it. He told me that when he grew up and played baseball, he would buy me a house wherever he plays, so that I could watch his games live. He did not know yet how different he was. He did not know yet how autism was going to speak for him before he could speak for himself (Nadia Khalil, Quoted by Mitch Lehman, San Marino Tribune, August 9, 2017).”
The following is a news story on the Kansas City Royals signing Tarik El-Abour.
We have signed outfielder Tarik El-Abour to a minor league contract. El-Abour has handled the challenges presented by autism now earning the opportunity to become a professional baseball player. His signing announcement coincides with tonight's Autism Awareness Night. pic.twitter.com/qzb7ACmXqm
Tarik El-Abour was introduced to baseball when his father, Abed El-Abour registered him to play baseball in the San Marino National Little League. His road from there has been a steady pace to new opportunities.
College Career: Tarik El-Abour played baseball in college at Pasadena City College, Condordia University, Pacifica College and Bristol University. He received his Bachelors Degree in Business Administration from Bristol University but was not drafted out of college.
Empire League Career: "In 2016, El-Abour was named the Empire League's Rookie of the Year after batting .323 in 122 plate appearances and in 2017, he won a championship with the Plattsburgh Red Birds (DJ Dunson, Yahoo Sports, April 4, 2018)."
Reggie Sanders, a special adviser for the Kansas City Royals and an autism advocate, was instrumental in helping connect Tarik El-Abour and the Royals. Here is a video of the news conference where the Royals announced signing Tarik El-Abour.
Reggie Sanders said this about Tarik's major league baseball contract helping the autism community,
"Tarik doesn't realize what he's doing. But the beautiful thing is that it's so raw for him because he's focusing just on baseball. But he doesn't realize he's really helping the community, which is amazing (Reggie Sanders, Quoted by Maria Torres, The Kansas City Star, April 14, 2018)."
Special thanks to Tarik El-Abour for being an Autism Light. We wish him the best of luck in his professional baseball career with the Kansas City Royals minor league system. May his achievement be an inspiration to others with autism who aspire to be professional athletes.
Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.
Kaylee Rodgers is a 10 year old girl with autism ADHD from Donaghadee in Northern Ireland. Kaylee Rodgers is an Autism Light because of her angelic singing of the Leonard Cohen classic, Hallelujah, in her school's choir concert in December 2016.
Kaylee Rodgers is a student at the Killard House School, a school with 200 students who have special speech needs, including those on the autism spectrum. Kaylee's mother Tracy Rodgers said, "She always loved singing, but it wasn't until she started at Killard House School that she really came into her own. [Mr. Scates is] like her safety blanket -- he's amazing (Deseret News, Herb Scribner, December 22, 2016)."
Below is the video that Nichola Martin shared on Facebook on December 18, 2016, of Kaylee Rodgers singing Hallelujah at the Killard House School program. It was posted because Kaylee was sick and could not sing in a subsequent performance scheduled with her church's Christmas choir.
The video of Kaylee Rodgers' singing has received almost 3 million views in a week. Kaylee reflected on her joy in singing the song Hallelujah and said, "It was really amazing how many views I got...I just loved doing it (ABC7 Chicago, December 22, 2016)."
If you wish to assist Kaylee with developing her talent, a GoFundMe page has been started for her. We look forward to hearing amazing things about Kaylee in the years to come.
Special thanks to Kaylee Rodgers for being a Autism Light and sharing with world her musical gift. She is an inspiration to others with autism and a blessing to all those who have heard her sing.
Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.
Darius Brown is an 11 year old author who has autism. He is mainstreamed in the fifth grade at Skyline Elementary School in Suitland, Maryland, which is in the Washington DC Metropolitan area. Darius Brown is an Autism Light for the example he set for other children who have autism by writing a published book, when he was just 10 years old, called Darius Hates Vegetables.
School: Darius Brown has been mainstreamed in his public elementary school since kindergarten and he is now considered on the high functioning end of the autism spectrum. His mother Wendy Brown wrote the following summary about some of the services that have helped her son over the years with his autism.
Darius Brown
Throughout grade school Darius received a lot of speech therapy services due to his inability to speak. The services taught DJ sign language to sign the words he couldn't speak and other methods to communicate while in school and at home. He also received adaptive physical education services that helped with his motor skills. These services included swimming, roller skating and other activities to help develop his low muscle tone. Now he can participate in a lot of physical activities more aggressively because he can use his muscles and be big and strong. Even though loud noises and other sensory issues are still a challenge for Darius we deal with them a bit at a time and develop coping strategies for each issue (Wendy Brown, March 31, 2016, Email to Autism Light).
Darius Hates Vegetables: Darius Brown writes his books from true events he experiences as a boy growing up, and his first published book is about a boy who enjoys cookies more than vegetables.
An 8 year old named Ryan said this about Darius' book, "I enjoyed Darius Hates Vegetables! It was catchy and a good story. The artwork was beautiful. I don't like vegetables either, but I might try them now (I Am Darius Brown Testimonials)."
Darius' mother Wendy Brown wrote to Autism Light, "Darius uses writing as a way to cope with good and bad things that he's encountered while in school trying to make new friends or other challenges faced at home especially when it comes to sharing his trains with his little brother. Nonetheless, we feel other children/adults on the spectrum will enjoy his stories all the same and realize we are all the same."
Website: You can order the book Darius Hates Vegetables online through his website and also learn more about Darius from his website.
Media: To learn more about Darius Brown read the following media.
Special thanks to Darius Brown for being an Autism Light and being a published author at age 10. Darius Brown is one of the many examples of students with autism doing extraordinary achievements. Hopefully his example will be an encouragement to to other aspiring writers with autism. We wish Darius all the best and hope he will continue to learn and grow in his life.
Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism. Photos: The photos in this post were used with permission of Wendy Brown.
David Kot is a comic book script writer who founded Face Value Comics, a non-profit which raises autism awareness and featured the world's first comic book hero with autism. David lives in York, Pennsylvania with his wife Angie and four children. In addition to his own clinical diagnosis as an adult with Asperger's, his young step-daughter also has autism. David Kot is an Autism Light for his influential efforts to raise autism awareness through his comic book enterprise and as a self-advocate.
The following is a video where David Kot explains how Face Value Comics is intentional about raising autism awareness.
Face Value Comics: David Kot and Angela Kot created Face Value Comics, which was legally incorporated as a non-profit organization in 2011 and is presently a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization. According to their website, "Autism at Face Value practises 'comic awareness' and employs the use of comic books and educational toys to publicly demystify Autism Spectrum Disorders (Autism at Face Value - About Us)."
Some of the accomplishments of Face Value Comics include:
Introducing the character "Michael" who is the first comic book super hero with autism.
Having a third party medical journal review their work for their therapeutic value to children.
Advising the Dover Area School District on new special needs curriculum based on our use of facial feature recognition helps us maintain our non-profit status.
David Kot says,
"Comic book author and pop-icon Stan Lee wrote Spiderman when he was 40 years old. I debuted Face Value Comics #1 a year earlier than my role-model. Since this time, we have been on the nation’s largest news network, reviewed in a medical journal, and outsold some popular titles. Our comic has been nominated and won two international awards for Children’s Literature (Ireland, Canada) and enshrined in the National History of Disability History in New York. We have international print and distribution for our comics. Additionally, we hold the copyright on our work, and are proud to give kids heroes like themselves. In the future, we have many great plans."
His plans for Face Value Comics in the future include:
Developing public school special needs curriculum with the Dover Area School District for a net surplus, insulated against legislative budget cuts, and without levying a single dime to the typical taxpayer;
Sensory-friendly action figures of our heroes, with flexible pieces (i.e. silk cape or wool cape), designed to calm children who play while they play;
Printing comic books with 3D features, like raised facial expressions to literally feel emotions, which also opens comic books to the low/no-vision community;
Visiting the U.S. Congressional Autism Caucus by (Mike Doyle’s) invitation;
Continued issues of comics, including special guest artists and authors;
Advocating and teaching young people and adults about living with autism; and
Finishing my doctoral research as my health and time allows.
Copyright 2016 - Face Value Comics
Author: To date David Kot has published three comic books labeled Face Value Comics #1, #2, and #3. Face Value Comics #4 is in the production phase.
Ordering Information: You can order print copies of comics by Autism Face Value at their page on Indyplanet. Digital copies, including a pay-what-you-want price option on Issue #1, are available at Drive Thru Comics.
Education: David Kot has the following educational background.
David Kot
In 1997 he complicated his undergraduate bachelor of science degrees earning a double major in political science and sociology at the University of Pittsburgh - Johnstown.
Since 2006 he has been studying at Capella University. He has earned a Master of Science in Human Services (Psychology) and did his graduate research in Self-funding community clinics to include self-injurious clients, in respect to billing, coding, and clinical interventions.
David Kot is expected to earn his Doctor of Philosophy, Psychology in 2016 from Capella University. His PhD research focus has been Autism and multicultural, nonverbal communication strategies that promote compassion and empathy.
Blogger: David Kot writes a blog as part of his advocacy on his website. The following two articles are representative of some of the content.
#WeAut2Vote Campaign: David Kot has been working hard to advocate for making voting accessible to people with autism in the Winter and Spring of 2016. He has solicited the support of ALL Pennsylvania senators and support is growing throughout the United States. His advocacy includes helping individuals with autism to:
Register to Vote
Identify their Local Polling Place
Use Absentee Ballots When Their Disability Prevents Typical Voting Inclusion.
Encouragement to those with Asperger's: David Kot offered these words of encouragement to others with Asperger's.
"In a world run by neurotypical people (i.e.: people without autism), some comforting words by George Bernard Shaw and the Kennedy family: 'You see things; and you say, ‘Why?’ But I dream things that never were; and I say, ‘Why not?’' By this, I encourage people living with autism to remember how we brought you a comic book hero with autism, not industry giants like DC or Marvel (Disney) Comics. I am just a guy living in a small town with a dream, limited resources, but with great supports who love and value me as much as any work I have done or may yet do (David Kot)."
David Kot provided this summary of his autism advocacy and his appreciation for people who assist him in shining his light for autism.
"In summary, I hope any other person – with or without autism – may look to what I have done and replicate something similar, for their own advocacy on any number of deeply-concerning social topics that get bypassed by mass media monopolies, and for the benefit of younger readers in the future. One may say that writing a comic book has launched autism advocacy through national news coverage, educational reform based on science with economical responsibility, address of congressional representatives, and review in a legitimate medical journal. Yes- a comic book paved the way. I think about our success as one average guy’s science-fiction story (equally heavy in both parts ‘science’ and ‘fiction’) that makes people believe in fantastic opportunities – in equality - like those events described. I could not have done any of these things without so many long evenings with my wife, Angela, and our artist, Sky Owens. He patiently taught me how to write for comic books, and his thirty years’ experience in the comic book industry shows on the static page. Angela listened to my writings, and offered many great changes from her views as a mother and wife living with autism. She also has a very active imagination! Overall, I am just a man. However, I also have great supports and people who love me. I never thought our comic book would be published in a medical journal before my own doctoral defense. We must never stop believing we deserve good things for ourselves or our children, who need our collective best (David Kot)."
Social Media: You can follow Face Value Comics at the following social media areas.
Special thanks to David Kot for being an Autism Light through his amazing talent in comic book script. Face Value Comics is an independent company that can offer hope and encouragement to the autism community as well as educate others about this growing group of people in our society. We wish David continued success in his endeavors as a self-advocate and his role as an autism father.
Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.
The photo of David Kot was used with permission of David Kot. Comic book images are copyright by Autism at Face Value (2016).
Jacob Allen is 4 years old and has autism. He lives in Arkansas Pass, Texas. On January 1, 2016, Jacob found his father Bryan Allen passed out from a diabetic attack and proceeded to get himself dressed and go to a neighbor for help, because his mother was at the store. Jacob Allen is an Autism Light for his mature thinking that helped save his father's life.
Doctors indicated that Bryan Allen could have went into a diabetic coma if he hadn't receive timely emergency medical attention. Below is a video of the news coverage on Jacob getting help for his father.
Jacob Allen's mother Michelle Allen said, "I have been ...told...not to expect very much of my son because he's autistic. Autistic kids...They're the same as everybody else. And they can be more miraculous than a regular person (KRISTV.com, Caroline Flores, January 1, 2016)."
Bryan Allen expressed his gratitude by saying of Jacob, "He's just the greatest...little kid there is. I wouldn't change him for nothin' (KRISTV.com, Caroline Flores, January 1, 2016)."
Special thanks to Jacob Allen for being an Autism Light. Jacob is one of many cases where individuals with autism made a difference for good in their families and communities. We wish Jacob all the best and hope he will continue to learn and grow in his life.
Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.
Brandon Williams is a 13 year old with autism who is in the 7th grade at Barnes Intermediate School in Staten Island, New York. On October 28, 2015, Brandon noticed a classmate, Jessica Pelligrino, choking. He successfully performed the Heimlich maneuver and saved Jessica. Brandon Williams is an Autism Light for his role in helping save a classmate when she was choking.
Brandon Williams was asked where he learned to perform the Heimlich maneuver and he shared that he learned it from watching the television show SpongeBob SquarePants. The following is a news story from the Staten Island Advance about Brandon Williams saving his classmate's life.'
Brandon's father, Anthony Williams, said, "He picks up on things that most of us would miss, and files it all away in his head, and he can recall it in an instant. That's how he knew instantly what to do. And we're glad he did. We're proud of him (The Mighty, Melissa McGlensy, 7th Grader with Autism now a Hero Thanks to SpongeBob SquarePants, November 6, 2015)." Anthony Williams was very encouraged by Brandon's heroic actions in this incident. He shared that this is what Brandon taught him about autism:
Raising special-needs kids, you feel like they're very limited in what they can do. This just proves don't ever hold your kid back for anything. There's no limits to what these kids can do.
Special thanks to Brandon Williams for being an Autism Light. Brandon is representative of the many individuals with autism who are everyday heroes in their communities. We wish Brandon all the best and hope he will continue to learn and grow in his life.
Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.
Ibrahim is a 7 year old boy who has autism and lives in the Harrow area of Greater London, England. He is a Muslim and a student at the National Autistic Society's Radlett Lodge School. Ibrahim is an Autism Light for the inspirational manner in which he prayed for diverse faiths during a lesson on Christmas traditions at his school in December of 2015.
Ibrahim started attending the Radlett Lodge School in 2012, and when he first arrived he could only say a few words. He has grown over the 3 years of his education at the school. The following is an account of his inspiring prayer during the lesson on Christingle at his school in December of 2015.
Ibrahim showed how far he'd come in a particularly touching and inspiring way during an RE lesson about Christingle in the first week of December. The students were taking it in turns to light a Christingle they'd made and blow it out. Ibrahim is Muslim and when it was his turn he put his hands together and prayed 'for all the Christians and Christingle and the Church, the Synagogue and Jewish, Islam and Muslims and all the families and children in the world and the Mosque and the Church and Christians and Christingle and Easter eggs (The National Autistic Society, Pupil finds his voice with wonderful Christmas message, December 21, 2015).'
Special thanks to Ibrahim for being an Autism Light. Ibrahim's progress in communication is an example of how autism education can be life-changing for some students. His Christingle prayer reflects the innocence of a child who in his heart holds a love for others, regardless of their diverse religious views. Ibrahim's acceptance of others, whose religion is different than his own, is an inspiring example to others in this day and age.
Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.
Levi Waitukaitis is a 5th grade student from Riverside, Ohio who has autism. Levi is an Autism Light because he helped get life-saving help to his neighbor who had fallen and was stuck outside in dangerously cold temperatures on February 26, 2015.
On February 26, 2015, Levi Waitukaitis' neighbor Linda Blakely fell on her steps and hurt her ankle. She was trapped outside for about 15 minutes in sub-freezing temperatures and all she could do is cry for help. Levi heard her cry for help and asked his Grandmother Diane Waitukaitis to help him call 911 to get medical assistance for his neighbor. Were it not for Levi's help his neighbor could have easily caught hypothermia and had more severe consequences.
Here is a video of the news story about Levi helping save his neighbor.
Special thanks to Levi Waitukaitis for being a good neighbor when Linda Blakely fell on February 26, 2015. Levi is a wonderful example of the extraordinary things that some individuals with autism are capable of doing in emergencies. Although he has special needs himself, Levi played a critical role in helping his neighbor in her urgent time of need. He was the type of neighbor we would all want to have. We wish Levi Waitukaitis continued success as he grows and develops in his life.
Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.
Derek Hadley is a 31 year old man who has autism. He lives in Springfield, Oregon. Derek Hadley is an Autism Light for donating one of his kidneys to his brother Jeff and in doing so setting an example for others within and outside the autism community.
In 2004, Derek Hadley graduated from Springfield High School's special education program. He currently works three days a week making nameplates for the State of Oregon at the Pearl Buck Center in Eugene, Oregon.
Jeff Hadley was experiencing kidney failure due to having abdominal muscle deficiency syndrome and he needed a transplant in 2015. Derek Hadley was a perfect match for his biological brother Jeff, matching all six markers that measure organ transplant compatibility.
Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/living/health-and-medicine/article49414485.html#storylink=
On October 26, 2015, Derek Hadley donated his kidney to his brother Jeff Hadley at Legacy Good Samaritan Hospital in Portland, Oregon. Dr. John Ragsdale surgically removed Derek's kidney and Dr. Kevin McEvoy performed the kidney transplant. It is very rare for someone with autism to donate a kidney, but Derek was willing to help out.
Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/living/health-and-medicine/article49414485.html#storylink=cpy
Special thanks to Derek Hadley for being an Autism Light. Derek's willingness to donate his kidney saved his brother's life. It also set an example for others who have autism that it is possible to go through the scary process of donating a kidney. We can learn much from Derek's sacrifice.
Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/living/health-and-medicine/article49414485.html#storylink=cpy
Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.
Ranveer Singh Saini is a 14 year old with autism from the city of Gurgaon in India. Ranveer competed in golf in the 2015 Special Olympics World Games in Los Angeles and became the first one from India to win a Gold Medal in the World Games. Ranveer Singh Saini is an Autism Light for the way in which his skill in golf inspires others with autism and for the pride he has brought to the country of India by being their first citizen to win a gold medal in the Special Olympics World Games.
Ranveer began golfing at age 9. Because of his condition of having autism the dynamics of being successful while playing in a formal golf outing (that has many potential distractions around the course) has been a growing experience for him over the years. He has had therapy and special schedules geared toward the skills necessary to compete, so he could showcase his athletic talent. His coach Anitya Chand said:
While he adapted to the game, I took time to understand his special needs and devise different training techniques for him. He is quite an extraordinary child who thinks of golf merely as a game. Instead of getting bogged down by technicalities, he focuses on simply hitting the ball towards the hole. That's how he gradually became consistent with his swings and now he hits ball really well (Hole in One, Indian Express, May 12, 2013).
The following is a news story on Ranveer's golfing when he was 12 years of age.
2015 World Games - Special Olympics: Ranveer won a gold medal in the GF Golf-Level 2 Alternate Shot Team Play event on July 31, 2015, and in doing so became the first one from India to win a gold medal in the history of the World Games. 21 nations participated in the event in 2015. "Ranveer and his partner Monica Jajoo were nine shots clear of joint second-placed teams from Hong Kong (Tsz Leung Chung/Ka Kit Lam) and Nippon (Takefumi Hiyoshi/Tadatoshi Sakai) (Golfer Ranveer Singh Saini Bags Gold in Special Olympics World Games, NDTV Sports, August 1, 2015)."
The following is a news story from India Progressing about Ranveer Singh Saini's accomplishment of winning the Special Olympics Gold for India.
Asia Pacific Special Olympics Golf Masters - 2013: At the age of 12, Ranveer won two gold medals at the Asia Pacific Special Olympics Golf Maters in April, 2013 that was held in Macau. He won a gold medal in the individual category and a gold medal in the team category. He also won a trophy in the skills competition (Hole in One, Indian Express, May 12, 2013). Ranveer's achievement also made it to the Limca Book of Records, which is the Indian equivalent to the Guiness Book of World Records.
Website: Visit Ranveer's official website at www.ranveersaini.com to learn about his past and future success.
If you would like to read more on Ranveer Singh Saini the following online stories feature his inspirational accomplishment.
Special thanks to Ranveer Singh Saini for being an Autism Light. We applaud Ranveer, and indeed his parents and coaches over the years, for this achievement in golf of winning the first Special Olympics Gold Medal from India. This feat has brought autism awareness to India and serves as an inspiration to many that people with autism can potentially do amazing things in the sport of golf.
Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.
Tyler Gianchetta isan 18 year old who has autism from Huntington, New York. He is currently an honor's college student at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts. Tyler Gianchetta is an Autism Light because he pulled his unresponsive mother from a burning car in Long Island, New York on July 15, 2015 and saved her life.
Susan Gianchetta blacked out while driving in West Hills, New York on July 15, 2015. The car she was driving then hit a tree. Her son Tyler was riding in the passenger side and he broke his hand but managed to pull his mother out of the vehicle to safety just a minute before flames engulfed the car. The following is a news story about Tyler rescuing his mother.
Special thanks to Tyler Gianchetta for being an Autism Light. His quick thinking in the midst of an emergency where his own hand was broken saved his mother's life. Tyler Gianchetta is representative of the many people with autism who are everyday heroes as they live their lives in tune to how they can help others.
Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.
Gavin Joseph is a young man who has Asperger's and ADHD. He graduated in 2015 from Wesclin High School in New Baden, Illinois. Gavin was a victim of bullying and physical violence in late June 2015. Gavin Joseph is an Autism Light because he chose to forgive his attackers and instead of pressing charges raise autism awareness.
In late June 2015, Gavin Joseph was tricked by some boys that he thought wanted to be his friends and instead they physically assaulted him to teach him a lesson. The following is a news story on what happened to Gavin Joseph and his decision not to press charges.
Gavin's mother Cortnie Stone explained on her Facebook what happened.
Some kids were talking about how it’s weird that he’s always by himself, attending events alone and watching people, and that it was “creepy” how he wanted to be friends with people he didn’t know.
Another kid that overheard that conversation decided to take matters into his own hands and become judge and jury, and this is the result of that. He didn’t ask questions, didn’t get to know Gavin, never met him, and didn’t give him a chance to leave.
He was called to meet someone, surrounded by people he didn’t know, choked, punched, and left laying on the pavement so he would ‘learn his lesson’.
Gavin is fine. He has mild concussion, a bruised oesophagus, the tip of his nose fractured, and hematoma in his eye, but nothing permanent.
He did not press charges, but requested their community service be disability related, that they write a paper on Asperger’s, and that they watch a 20 min video statement he taped while their families were present so they could see the damage they did and hear the event from his perspective (The Independent, July 6, 2015).
Sarah Goucha writer at the Huffington Post summed up the noble act that Gavin Joseph did in this way, "A gang of bullies beat up teenager Gavin Joseph, who has autism, for being different. Yet the only thing truly different about him was his response (The Huffington Post, July 7, 2015)."
Gavin Joseph makes history at Autism Light as the subject of the 100th post featured on the blog about someone with autism. Links to the other related posts are referenced on the "Has Autism" page at Autism Light.
Special thanks to Gavin Joseph for being an Autism Light and showing forgiveness toward those that wronged him. In doing so Gavin has not only raised awareness of bullying and autism, but he has shown the true spirit of the autism community as reflected in the desire to improve the world one person at a time. We wish Gavin Joseph all the best in his life.
Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.
Jacob Velazquez is 7 years old and has autism. He was born on September 27, 2007 to Willie and Tina Velazquez. Jacob lives in South Florida and has been playing music on the piano since 2011, just before he turned 4. He is considered a piano prodigy with a photographic memory and has been respectfully called "Baby Beethoven", "Little Beethoven" and "Mini Mozart". Jacob Velazquez is an Autism Light for the way in which his talent in playing the piano can entertain others and give hope to others with autism as it spotlights the special gifts that some people with autism have.
Jacob Velazquez
Awards: When Jacob was four years old he won the double platinum trophy at a Stage Masters competition in Miami. Jacob was admitted to the prestigious National Musicians Guild by playing ten classical music pieces from memory.
The following is a video of Jacob Velazquez appearing on an Extraordinary Kids segment of the Steve Harvey show.
In the above video Jacob's mother, Tina, said on the Steve Harvey show, "I believe all children have gifts--with and without autism--it's just up to us to help discover them."
Tina Velazquez described Jacob's development as a musician at age 4 like this.
As he got older his behavior grew even more challenging but I also became even more aware of Jacob's capabilities. One day, shortly after his fourth birthday I heard the song playing from our family piano that my husband was playing the night before...but my husband was at work. I went to look to see who it was and to my surprise it was Jacob! I couldn't believe my eyes! It took us a while but we finally found a piano teacher that would take a 4 year old. His teacher soon became aware of his gift as he was flying through books learning 2-3 songs per week. It was so amazing to watch him. My son whom could never sit still could focus so intently on learning his songs on the piano. It seemed to be an outlet for him, helping him to express his feelings and emotions (Tina Velazquez via Autism Speaks Blog).
Hobbies: Jacob is a huge fan of Taylor Swift and even created a "Taylor" character on his wii just in case she ever comes over to play with him.
Album: Jacob is currently working on what will be his first album. He presently has two singles available for download on his iTunes page. You can also watch his first music video on YouTube based on one of the singles.
If you want to find out more about Jacob Velazquez visit his official website at www.jacobvelazquez.com.
Special thanks to Jacob Velazquez for inspiring the autism community with your accomplishments and entertaining the world with your talent. We hope that your story will encourage others with autism to play piano no matter what their skill level might be. We expect to be hearing much more about Jacob Velazquez in the years to come.
Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.
Photo: The photo in this post was used with permission of Tina Velazquez.
Kevin Healey is an Autism Campaigner from Stoke on trent in the United Kingdom. Kevin is 41 and was born on May 27, 1974. Kevin was diagnosed with autism in 2001. His twin brother Shaun also has autism but a more severe form. Kevin's personal experiences of having autism and being bullied have driven him to campaign against bullying. Kevin Healey is an Autism Light for the difference he is making in the lives of people with autism and how he is continually raising autism awareness through his writing, speaking, social media, leadership, and campaigning against bullying.
Anti-Bullying Campaigner: Kevin Healey raises awareness for cyberbullying and online harassment of people with autism. He is also trying to change hate crime laws in the United Kingdom and around the world in order to make it more difficult for anyone to get away with bullying people with autism. You can find out more about his Global Anti-Bullying campaign at the website www.autism-campaign.co.uk.
The following is a video where Kevin Healey talks about his anti-bullying campaign.
Author: Kevin Healey's autobiography is the 2008 book Twin Brothers World's Apart. He donates proceeds from the book to charity.Kevin's twin brother Shaun is more severely impacted by his autism than Kevin. You can order the book from Amazon/UK and the website for information on this book is at www.twinbrothersworldsapart.com.
Straffordshire Adults Autistic Society: Kevin Healey founded the Straffordshire Adults Autistic Society (SAAS) in 2007. They were the winner of the Queen's Award Charity in 2011. The SAAS is the largest adult autism charity in the United Kingdom. They say, "Our aim is to provide support to individuals on the autism spectrum, and to spread awareness and promote a better understanding of Autism and Asperger's (SAAS Blog)." Learn more about their work at the website www.saas.uk.com or their blog at www.autismblog.org.uk.
National Autistic Society: The National Autistic Society is the largest Autism Charity in the United Kingdom. Kevin Healey has been working the National Autistic Society for over 5 years as a regional Cllr/Trustee and Ambassador for the National Autistic Society.
Other Award: Kevin Healey was awarded by his community the Stoke on Trent Citizen of the Year in 2006.
The following is a video that Kevin Healey did for World Autism Awareness Week in 2015.
Wikipedia: You can read more about Kevin Healey on his Wikipedia Page. Social Media: Kevin Healey has been dedicated to getting his message out on social media for almost 15 years. You can follow Kevin and his autism campaigning on the following social media areas.
Twitter @Kevin_Healey (He has 117,000 followers on his account. Due to people impersonating Kevin please make sure you are following the real Kevin Healey @Kevin_Healey).
Twitter @AutismSAAS (This is the Staffordshire Adults Autistic Society, which was founded by Kevin Healey).
Twitter @Autismcampaign (This is the Anti-Bullying Autism Campaign started by Kevin Healey).
Periscope Account for Kevin Healey (Note: Kevin Healey has been one of the most prolific early adopters of the new social media known as Periscope).
Special thanks to Kevin Healey for being an Autism Light and using his leadership skills to shine a practical light for autism in his homeland while maintaining a global mindset in his efforts. Kevin Healey's campaigning is an inspiration to the autism community around the world. It is hoped that Kevin Healey's example will inspire many others with high functioning autism to speak up for those who might not be able to speak.
Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism. Photos: The photos in this post were used with permission of Kevin Healey.
In Memoriam Updated on February 7, 2016
Danielle Jacobs (Autism Light #414) died on February 4, 2016 (CBS News, Woman Killed by Police Had Viral Autism-Awareness Video, February 5, 2016). This post will remain at Autism Light in her memory. She will be placed on the Autism Light Memorial Roll and remembered at the Autism Rest blog. Autism Lights #414 are Danielle Jacobs and Sampson.
Danielle Jacobs and her dog Sampson are intertwined in this story, so it is fitting that they are both named an Autism Light together. Danielle Jacobs is 24 years and has the form of autism known as Asperger's. Sampson is her 4 year old rottweiler that she acquired from HALO Animal Rescue in Phoenix. Danielle Jacobs and her dog Sampson are Autism Lights because Danielle opened herself up by sharing a video of her experience on YouTube where Sampson as a true canine hero comforts her and alerts her to self harm.
Danielle shared the video of Samson comforting her during a meltdown on YouTube and it received over 5 million views on YouTube and was one of the Top Ten Videos in all of YouTube for the week of June 2, 2015.
Danielle Jacobs wrote this description to the video that she uploaded to YouTube. "This is what having aspergers is like. Please no negative comments this really happened and it's not easy to open myself and share what it's like on a daily basis. This is what's considered a meltdown. Yes Samson is alerting. I trained him to alert to depressive episodes and self harm not both but he alerted. It appears the response is late but it's actually supposed to be as I'm coming out of the meltdown as I tend to have a panic attack after."
Susan Dunne wrote an opinion piece for the Autism Daily Newscast about Sampson being a hero. She describes Sampson's critical role as an autism therapy dog as follows:
Sampson typifies what makes animals so special - he does not intervene with reasoning (pointless at this stage anyway), with pleading or restraint, nor does he ignore it and walk away. He persists, he stays with his owner, lets her know that he is not giving up on her even though she may at this point have given up on herself. He is there for her, bringing a safe warm presence into a broken place. He reaches across the despair and hurt but doesn't try to control it. He is in there with her for as long as it takes and he wins her round as she accepts his presence and reaches out to hug him (Autism Daily Newscast, June 17, 2015, Susan Dunne, Opinion: Self-harm Video Shows Heroism of a Dog).
You can read more about Danielle Jacobs and Samson at these online stories.
Social Media: Danielle Jacobs is increasing autism awareness through the videos on her personal experiences that she has uploaded to her YouTube Channel.
Special thanks to Danielle Jacobs for having the courage to share this video so that millions can learn about autism and the role a therapy dog can have. Danielle Jacobs is representative of the many people with autism that are trying to raises awareness of their condition. Sampson is likewise a fine dog to represent the many therapy animals who are unsung heroes. Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.
