Tarik El-Abour

Autism Light #464 is Tarik El-Abour.

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

— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) April 13, 2018

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.

Ebay

Autism Light #457 is eBay.

eBay (NYSE: EBAY) is a multinational ecommerce corporation with headquarters in San Jose, California. eBay was founded in 1995 by Pierre Omidyar and is currently a multi-billion dollar corporation with operations in 30 countries. Products on eBay range from basic supplies to eccentric and unusual items. eBay is an Autism Light for the special effort it made to make a memorable moment for a boy with autism named Sammy in 2016.

The following is a YouTube video produced with the efforts of Sammy's mother and the eBay social media team. It was uploaded on December 12, 2016. The following video describes Sammy's love for eBay and their logo and how happy he was to receive some promotional items in the mail from eBay.

Autism Parents Earn Money for Expenses on eBay:  Without a doubt eBay has helped some autism parents earn extra money for the challenging expenses of autism by providing a platform where individuals can make a profit by selling their goods to others.

Autism Parents Can Purchase Resources on eBay: eBay has a special section on their commerce website called Special Needs and Autism Educational Toys. Parents can go directly there to review and purchase resources for the education and growth of their children with autism.

eBay for Charity: eBay has programs in place that allow sellers on their site to support autism. For example, their eBay for Charity program allows sellers to support autism charities by donating 10%-100% of the final selling price of their products to a designated charity (See News Story on the Autism Plus Website). The video below explains how eBay for Charity works.

Wikipedia Page: You can read more about eBay on their Wikipedia Page.

Social Media: You can follow eBay on the following social media areas.

• Facebook Page of eBay
• Twitter @eBay

Special thanks to eBay for being a business that cares about people with autism and autism charities. We hope that they will continue to be an autism friendly business and add a smile to the lives of families with autism.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.


Note: Autism Light is a neutral blog and we have no relationship to the business featured in this post nor have we received any return of goods or services for writing this post.

William Christopher

Autism Light #454 is William Christopher.

William Christopher was an actor who had a variety of roles in his career, but none as endearing as the role of "Father Mulcahy" in the hit 1970's era television show MASH. William Christopher was born on October 20, 1932, and died on December 31, 2016, from cancer. He is survived by his wife Barbara and two sons, Ned and John. His son Ned Christopher has autism. William Christopher is an Autism Light because of how his devotion to his son and his journey as an autism father has increased autism awareness. William Christopher will be placed on the Autism Light Memorial Roll today.

Education: William Christopher earned a Bachelor's degree in drama at Wesleyan University in Connecticut.

Actor: William Christopher starred as "Father Mulcahy" in the popular sitcom MASH and the spin off After MASH, from 1972-1983.  He also had recurring roles in television shows, "Gomer Pyle", "That Girl", and "Hogan's Heroes". You can read more about William Christopher's career at William Christopher's IMDb Page or the Wikipedia Page of William Christopher.

Here is a public service announcement that William Christopher appeared in for the Health Care Chaplaincy Network.

Mixed Blessings: William and Barbara Christopher published the book Mixed Blessings in 1989. The book tells their story of raising their son Ned, who has autism, and the hope and challenges they faced in making important decisions in his development.

National Autistic Society: William Christopher appeared in public service announcements for the National Autistic Society as a way of advocating for his son and others who have autism.

Obituary: You can read William Christopher's obituary at Legacy.com. CBS News also published a news article on William Christopher's passing.

Special thanks to William Christopher for being a light for autism. Although the general public will remember his well performed character acting roles, the autism community thanks him for fulfilling a role as a dedicated autism father, author, and an advocate. May his memory encourage others and remind us all of the way in which autism touches so many families, including those of famous celebrities.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Tom Hanks

Autism Light #438 is Tom Hanks.

Tom Hanks (2008)

Tom Hanks is an American actor and filmmaker. He was born on July 9, 1956, and lives in Los Angeles, California. Tom Hanks has starred in dozens of films since starting his career in 1978, and he won an Academy Award for Best Actor in Philadelphia (1993) and Forrest Gump (1994). Tom Hanks is an Autism Light for the kindness he showed to a special fan with autism named Sarah Moretti in 2013.

Family: Tom Hanks has been married to Rita Wilson since 1988. He has four children, including Colin Hanks, who is also an actor.

Career as Actor:  Tom Hanks has had lead roles in dozens of movies, including Splash (1984), Forrest Gump (1994), Apollo 13 (1995), Saving Private Ryan and You've Got Mail (1998), The Green Mile (1999), Cast Away (2000), The Da Vinci Code (2006), and as the voice in the animated Toy Story series.

Awards:  A list of the awards and nominations that Tom Hanks has received during his illustrious career can be found on Wikipedia.

The following is a video of some moments in Tom Hanks' career.

Fan with Autism: In 2013 Tom Hanks took time out of his schedule to visit backstage with Sarah Moretti, who has autism, after his performance of Lucky Guy at the Broadhurst Theatre in New York.

As Tom Hanks was looking through the fan scrapbook that Sarah had created on his career he remarked, "Sarah, this is so great. You know, even my mum doesn't have something like this (Mirror, Simon O'Kane, June 25, 2015, Video of Tom Hanks taking time out to greet his autistic super fan goes viral)."

The following is a video of the moment backstage when Sarah Moretti met Tom Hanks. Although this was taken in 2013, it wasn't released to the public until 2015.

Social Media: You can follow Tom Hanks on the following social media areas.

• Facebook Page of Tom Hanks
• Twitter @tomhanks (Verified)

Websites: You can learn more about Tom Hanks at the following websites.

• Tom Hanks Wikipedia Page
• Tom Hanks IMDb Page

Special thanks to the actor Tom Hanks for being an Autism Light. The time he took out of his schedule to meet a very dedicated fan with autism named Sarah Moretti is reflective of the hope that famous entertainer's can bring into the lives of people with autism. We wish Tom Hanks all the best in his career and life.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Special Acknowledgement for the idea for Tom Hanks to be an Autism Light is given to Kerry Magro, Autism Light #119, who wrote a post about Tom Hanks on his blog.

Photo: The photo in this post of Tom Hanks is on the Creative Commons at Wikipedia.

Tara Triantafilo

Autism Light #435 is Tara Triantafilo.

Tara is a family cat who lives in Bakersfield, California. She is owned by the Roger and Erica Triantafilo family. In May of 2014 a dog attacked the family's then 4 year old son Jeremy, who has autism. Tara is an Autism Light because she saw the attack and fought off the dog, saving Jeremy from more serious physical harm.

In May of 2014 a Labrador-Chow mix named Scrappy who lived next door to Jeremy Triantafilo grabbed the boy's leg and started shaking the boy back and forth. Tara ran outside and used her feline body to literally push Scrappy off of Jeremy.  Video surveillance of the confrontation showed the determination of Tara to intervene when the dog was attacking her family.

Here is a news story on Tara the Cat being proclaimed a hero on the Today Show that aired May 15, 2014.

A clip of the encounter between Tara and Scrappy on YouTube went viral and was viewed more than 24 million times (Cat Tara gets Award for Saving 6-year-old Autistic Boy from being attacked by a Dog, Daily Mail, June 19, 2015).

Here is a video of a news story that an ABC News affiliate in Bakersfield, California did with Jeremy Triantafilo about his cat Tara.

Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals: In 2015, Tara, a cat, received the annual "Hero Dog" award from The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Los Angeles.

Since the attack Tara and Jeremy have developed a closes bond as one can imagine. Special thanks to Tara for helping save Jeremy from a vicious dog. Tara is representative of the many cats around the world who have been an extraordinary shining light for humans with autism. Tara will be the 4th Cat and the 20th Animal added today to the Autism Light Animal Page.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

James Durbin

Autism Light #400 is James Durbin.

James Durbin was born on January 6, 1989. He is a musician from Santa Cruz, California. James Durbin has the form of autism known as Asperger syndrome and he also has Tourette syndrome. James Durbin rose to prominence in the entertainment and music world when he finished in fourth place on the tenth season of American Idol in 2011. James Durbin is an Autism Light for his anti-bullying advocacy and for the way in which his music has encouraged others with autism to reach for their dreams. In fact, James Durbin is a role model specifically to Autism Light #159, Michael Korins.

On His Autism: Kerry Magro, who was Autism Light #119, interviewed James Durbin in the Spring of 2014. James Durbin said this about his autism and the opportunity to be an autism advocate.

It makes me really proud. Proud to have Autism. Proud to be overcoming this obstacle. And especially proud to be showing the world that regardless of what label you're given, regardless of what diagnosis you have, you are not fully disabled of your dreams. It is up to us to be that difference. Spread the word & make it known that we are just as capable as everyone else. More so I think. We just need a little more time, a little extra help (James Durbin as quoted by Autism Speaks, April 8, 2014). 

Here is a video of James Durbin singing the song in the finals of American Idol in 2011 called Don't Stop Believin. 

Music: James Durbin has released the following recorded music.

• In 2014 James Durbin produced his Album called Celebrate. His website states, "It's this musical juxtaposition of rock and pop that Durbin offers up on his eagerly awaited sophomore album, CELEBRATE.

• In 2011 James Durbin produced his rock Album called Memories of  a Beautiful Disaster.

Family: James Durbin married his wife Heidi Lowe on December 31, 2011. They have a son named Hunter and a daughter Kinzee Cuz.

Anti-Bullying Message: James Durbin is a spokesperson for the Be a STAR Alliance. He shares an anti-bullying message and has revealed that he was a victim of bullying growing up. James Durbin said, "If you're being bullied the best thing you can do is to tell someone. It's also, and I know from experience, it's the hardest thing to do (CBSNews.com, March 19, 2012)."

The following is a video of James Durbin being interviewed by Dr. Drew about his autism and Tourette's.

Contact: To contact James Durbin use the following email.

• Booking Inquiries: Jamesdurbinbooking@gmail.com
• Press Inquiries: KPPublicityGroup@gmail.com

Social Media/Websites: You can follow James Durbin on the following social media pages and websites.

• Facebook Page for James Durbin
• Google Plus for James Durbin
• Instagram Page for James Durbin
• Twitter @DurbinRock
• Official Website of James Durbin
• Wikipedia Page for James Durbin
• YouTube Channel for James Durbin

Special thanks to James Durbin for being an Autism Light. James Durbin has a special talent as a singer and guitarist. We expect to continue to hear good things about James Durbin's music career and influence as an autism role model in the future.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Photo: The photo of James Durbin is in the Public Domain.

Lois Pilot

Autism Light #398 is Lois Pilot.

Lois Pilot is an Autism Mother from Orange County, California. Her son Dylan has autism. Lois Pilot died on October 9, 2000, from brain cancer, at the age of 37. Her funeral service was held on October 12, 2000, at Pacific Coast Church in San Clemente, California. She is survived by her husband Kevin Pilot and her two sons Dylan and Kurt. They were 6 and 8 when Lois passed away and are now young men in their early 20's. Lois Pilot will be placed on the Autism Light Memorial Roll today.

Sketch of Lois Pilot, by Dane, a young man with autism

Lois Pilot is remembered both for her dedication as an autism mother and for her autism advocacy. Her advocacy started in 1994, when her son Dylan was diagnosed with autism. She is remembered for the following achievements (LA Times Obituary, October 12, 2000).

• She helped start the Autism Coalition for Creative Educational Social Services and succeeded in establishing a pilot program for autistic children at Aliso Viejo's Foxborough Elementary School in California.
• She volunteered at Pyramid Autism Center, which was founded in 1998 and continues today to operate in Orange, California. Her son Dylan was one of the first students of Pyramid Autism Center. 
• She was a fundraiser for autism causes.
• She was active in a national advocacy group called Cure Autism Now. Cure Autism Now merged with Autism Speaks in 2007.

Kevin Pilot explained to Autism Light how mothers like Lois were pivotal in the history of autism in paving the way for the increased services we experience around the United States today. Kevin Pilot said,

In those early days, we had nothing. The school districts were refusing ABA or any other kind of meaningful therapy. The "programs" as they existed were essentially all the disabled kids regardless of disability in a room for the day, separated from everyone else. Everyone told us this is how it is, and this is what we do and they didn't want to change. It took a handful of mothers like Lois to say "no," this isn't how it is and we don't accept that this is what it has to be for our children and they got together. They started meeting, and saying "no." and going to fair hearings. They became medical experts, legal experts, nutritional experts. The meetings got so big that they had to rent halls instead of meeting in people's homes. The school districts started listening and changing. It was really moms like Lois that paved the way for the services that many younger families have today. So in that sense, she is a hero, as are many of the other moms that really gave up their lives for a time in service of their children.

James Mulvaney who worked with Lois Pilot in the Cure Autism Now chapter in Orange County, California said, "She was a leader in Orange County in trying to get innovative therapy for children. Her house was filled on the weekend with volunteers training people to better help children focus. She had this bubbly enthusiasm, even though she was dealing with a very difficult situation with her son (LA Times Obituary, October 12, 2000)."

Kevin Pilot told Autism Light that, "Our house was not only filled with volunteers or other parents and people being trained but also children. Our house was an interesting place where children with autism mixed with the neighborhood kids, it was a kind of inclusive environment before inclusion was a word thrown about as much as it is today."

"If 'mom' is in the dictionary there should be a picture of her in there," Kevin Pilot said. "She was perfect, a terrific mom (LA Times Obituary, October 12, 2000)."

Kevin Pilot shared this about the enduring impact that Lois had as a mother to her two children.

Her kids both are kind, love people and are the kinds of people that would give the shirt off their back for someone in need. I think they get that from her. Our oldest son Dylan lives in a group, functioned extremely well for a non-verbal autistic young man who had some very serious behavioral issues growing up. He goes out to restaurants, parks, and movies. He doesn't have as complete a life as I think he might without his limitations but I think he is pretty close to having as complete a life as is possible for him. That is due to his mother. I think there was a moment after the diagnosis when she just decided there would be no stone unturned and she pursued his interest vigorously, with great insight and completely. And I think had she survived, she would have been pleased with the result.  There was light at the end of tunnel even though she just had a small glimpse of it.

Kevin Pilot told Autism Light about Lois' philosophy of integrating children with autism into the fabric of society,

That was the thing about Lois. She didn't focus on what our kids couldn't do but more on what they could. I think it is easy to focus on what is lacking in our children and miss out on what shines in them, and I think she always had the ability to get past all the behaviors and communication barriers and see the person inside. And respond and interact with them. She really strived to make Dylan (our autistic son) a part of everything, the family, the neighborhood, and the community.

Lois Pilot's passion for helping people associated with autism resonates 15 years after her passing. Lois is an example of how the light of an autism mother shines on beyond the length of their years. We remember Lois Pilot today and hope that her example as an autism mother will encourage others to shine a light for autism. Our thoughts are with her family in the loss they experienced, knowing that no amount of time can completely remove the loss they feel.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

The sketch of Lois Pilot was used here with permission of Kevin Pilot.

Roxy the Pitbull

Autism Light #395 is Roxy the Pitbull.

Roxy/Courtesy of Best Friends Animal Society

Roxy is a 60 pound female Pit Bull Terrier who was adopted by Joey Granados and his family. She was adopted on the Saturday after Thanksgiving in 2014 from the Best Friends Animal Society shelter in Los Angeles, California. Joey is a 14 year old who has Asperger's Syndrome. Roxy is an Autism Light because her relationship with Joey Granados helped him hug his mother for the first time and improve in his social relationships.

The following is a video about the impact Roxy has had on Joey Granados and his family.

Amanda Granados told TODAY.com, "For all those years, he wouldn't hold my hand, he wouldn't hug me--it was all part of the autism--but this dog has taught him how to give and show affection. He holds my hand now! He hugs me! The first time I got a kiss on the cheek was when Roxy came home (TODAY.com, Laura T. Coffey, April 27, 2015)."

Joey Granados himself described the impact that Roxy has had on his life when he said, "I didn't have too many friends growing up, but then we got Roxy and I've been able to make friends ever since (TODAY.com, Laura T. Coffey, April 27, 2015)."

Special thanks to Roxy for being an Autism Light. Roxy is representative of the thousand of autism therapy dogs around the world who are making life easier for individuals with autism. We wish Roxy and Joey many years of friendship.

Roxy will be added to the Autism Light Animal Page today. Roxy is the second Pit Bull breed to be featured on Autism Light. The first was Karma. That means the Pit Bull breed at this time is second only to the Golden Retriever in being highlighted on Autism Light.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Photo: The photo of Roxy was used with permission of the Best Friends Animal Society, an animal shelter with a no-kill mission.

Ian Hinton

Autism Light #392 is Ian Hinton.

Ian Hinton is a 37 year old homeless man from Garden Grove, California. Ian Hinton is an Autism Light because he helped the Garden Grove Police Department locate a missing teenager with autism named Charles Truong on April 14, 2015.

Charles Truong who is 17 and has autism wandered off on April 14, 2015, when shopping with his mother at the Binh Supermarket in Garden Grove, California. Officer David Chang with the Garden Grove Police Department showed his picture to Ian Hinton in hopes he might recognize the teenager out in the community.

The effort by Officer Chang to reach out to Ian Hinton who lived on the streets of the community was successful. A few hours later Ian Hinton did see Charles Truong out on the streets flapping his hands at a busy intersection. Ian asked people to help him call the police to assist getting Charles back to his family. He was ignored by the first two people he asked, but the third person Ian asked for help assisted him by calling 911. Charles Truong was then returned safely to his family without harm.

Here is an news video about Ian Hinton's role in the community finding Charles Truong safely.


"Hinton claims he's not a hero. He said he was just doing what anyone with a giving spirit would do (KTLA.com, April 19, 2015)."

Special thanks to Ian Hinton for being an Autism Light. Ian Hinton along with the person who helped him contact the police after he spotted Charles will be honored at a special reception in the future with the Police Chief of the Garden Grove Police Department.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Stan Lee

In Memoriam
Updated on November 12, 2018

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Stan Lee (Autism Light #379) passed away on November 12, 2018, at the age of 95.  The New York Times published Stan Lee's Obituary. Stan Lee's name will be placed on the Autism Light Memorial Roll today.

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Autism Light #379 is Stan Lee.

Stan Lee

Stan Lee lives in Hollywood, California and is an American comic book writer, editor, publisher, actor, and former president of Marvel Comics. Stan Lee co-created many of the famous comic book characters such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the Fantastic Four, Iron Man, Thor, and the X-Men. He was born on December 28, 1922. Stan Lee is an Autism Light because he drew Spider-Man for a birthday present for an 8 year old fan with autism named Jamel Hunter.

In November, 2014, a disabled mother named Phyllis Atwood put on a special birthday party for her 8 year old son Jamel Hunter in East Harlem, New York. Jamel loves Spider-Man so his mother gave him a Spider-Man themed party (New York Times, December 24, 2014).

Jazz musician Corky Hale, who is a neighbor of Stan Lee, heard about the love Jamel Hunter has for Spider-Man. She asked Lee to do a drawing of Spider-Man for Jamel.  Lee agreed and the sketch was signed and sent to New York Times writer Michael Wilson to personally deliver to Jamel Hunter. The account of that heartwarming gift being presented was featured in an article Michael Wilson wrote on February 20, 2015 in the New York Times.

Stan Lee told the New York Times that he wrote the Spider-Man comics, but did not draw the characters. "This was a unique experience. I'm not known as an artist, which is lucky for the world (CBS News, February 24, 2015)."

Here is a Wochit news video on Stan Lee drawing spider man for Jamel Hunter.



Wikipedia: The Wikipedia Page for Stan Lee has more information on his life.

Social Media: You can follow Stan Lee (AKA The Real Stan Lee) on the following social media areas.

• Facebook Page for Stan Lee
• Twitter @TheRealStanLee

Special thanks to Stan Lee for the personal attention he gave to make a special present for a boy with autism. This act of kindness is an example to others of how it is possible to make dreams come true for people with autism when one truly cares. 

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism. 

Photo: The photo of Stan Lee is from the Wikipedia Commons and was taken by Edward Liu.

Joey Travolta

Autism Light #378 is Joey Travolta.

Joey Travolta is a 64 year old actor, singer, producer, director and screenwriter from California. He was born on October 14, 1950, in Englewood, New Jersey.  Joey Travolta is the founder of Inclusion Films and he has conducted camps for 15 years to give children with autism opportunities to create films. Joey Travolta is an Autism Light for spreading autism awareness and providing camps where people with autism can cultivate their talents in the film industry.

Education: Joey Travolta graduated with a degree in special education from what is now William Paterson University in New Jersey.  Joey Travolta has worked as a special education teacher in New Jersey.

Inclusion Films: Joey Travolta is the Founder and Creative Director for Inclusion Films. Inclusion Films currently has locations in Burbank, Bakersfield, Livermore, and Sacramento, California as their workshops "seek to promote the creative skills and strong work ethic of film makers with developmental disabilities, ultimately allowing them to become more independent, self confident, and well-rounded individuals (Inclusion Films Website)." The following is a video of Joey Travolta explaining the employment opportunities that have come from alumni of Inclusion Films short film camps.

Inclusion Films camps have recently been held at locations in St. Mary's College in California, Pittsburgh, New Jersey, and at Oakland University in Michigan. The following is a video of the project at Oakland University that partners with The Futures Foundation.

Family: Joey Travolta is married to Wendy Shawn and they have a daughter named Rachel. Joey Travolta is also an autism uncle. His younger brother John Travolta had a son named Jett who according to his mother Kelly Preston had autism (Huffington Post, November 20, 2012). Jett Travolta passed away in 2009 and the public revelation of his autism was announced posthumously.

Actor/Producer: To read about the dozens of film credits that Joey Travolta has been involved in over the years visit the Joey Travolta IMDb page.

Other Resources: 

• Autism Live Interview: Joey Travolta Interview done by Autism Live.
• Wikipedia: Joey Travolta Wikipedia page.

Social Media: If you want to follow Joey Travolta's work at Inclusion Films visit the following social media pages.

• Facebook Page for Inclusion Films
• Twitter @Inclusion_Films (Tweets are Protected)
• Twitter @InclusionFilms (Inclusion Films Bakersfield)
• YouTube Channel for Inclusion Films

Special thanks to Joey Travolta for the work he has done to give individuals with autism an opportunity to develop in the film and production world. Joey Travolta's work is benefiting both the individuals with autism and the short film industry. The autism community is blessed to have Joey Travolta and Inclusion Films in their corner.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism. 

Areva Martin

Autism Light #374 is Areva Martin.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

This post is our 4th annual feature to honor someone who is an Autism Light in the spirit of Martin Luther King, Jr. Previous honorees on Martin Luther King, Jr. day include: Elijah Winfrey (Autism Uncle), Joshua Bennett (Autism Brother), and King Richard (Individual with Autism). If Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. were still with us today, there is no doubt in my mind he would have been an autism advocate and that he would have been a close ally with the following dynamic and successful autism mother.

Areva Martin is an outstanding children's and family rights attorney, author, speaker and media personality and an autism mother from Los Angeles, California. Areva Martin's son Marty has autism. Areva Martin is an Autism Light because of the tremendous difference her advocacy is making to shine a light on autism, especially it's impact on minority communities.

Areva Martin said about autism, "It impacts more children than pediatric AIDS, diabetes, childhood cancer; it is the leading childhood disorder. So given the enormous number of children that are going to be impacted, it really requires all of us to become advocates (As Quoted in the St. Louis American, Sandra Jordan, April 23, 2010).

Areva Martin grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. The following biographical video on her amazing life was done by Living St. Louis.

Attorney: Areva D. Martin is a successful attorney in the Los Angeles area specializing in children's and family rights. The law firm she operates with her husband Ernest Martin, Jr., called Martin & Martin LLP, is one of the top law firms in the Los Angeles area.

Education: Areva Martin is a graduate with honors of the University of Chicago and Harvard Law School.

Special Needs Network, Inc.: Areva Martin is the President and co-founder of the Special Needs Network, Inc. She started this nonprofit organization after her son Marty was diagnosed with autism. The Special Needs Network has the following mission.

Our mission is to raise public awareness of developmental disabilities and to impact public policy while providing education and resources to families, children and adults. SNN serves as a link between under-served communities and mainstream developmental disability organizations and governmental institutions which often fail to address issues specific to these communities. SNN firmly believes that dignity, hope, and opportunity are the birthright of all children (Special Needs Network Website). 

Areva Martin's biography at IMDb says that the Special Needs Network "has raised millions of dollars and provided for over 15,000 families in low income communities across California (Areva Martin-Biography IMDb)."

The following is an interview with Areva Martin on her book The Everday Advocate.

Author: Areva Martin is the author of the following books.

• The Everyday Advocate: Standing Up For Your Child With Autism or other Special Needs was published in April, 2010 in an effort to give parents and caregivers the skills to defend the rights of those with autism. 
• Journey to the Top is a book for female professionals with lessons from Areva Martin's successful career as a female African American attorney.

Areva Martin also writes advocacy articles for media outlets including one she wrote in November, 10, 2014, for Huffington Post called Children of Color and Autism: Too Little too Late. 

Media Personality: Areva Martin is a frequent legal analyst on television programs such as Anderson Cooper 360, Dr. Phil, The Doctors, The CBS Early Show, and Fox News. There are clips of recent appearances she has made on television on the video section of the Areva Martin Website. Other autism features involving Areva Martin include:

• Areva Martin did a social media session on autism with Autism Speaks (See Q & A with Areva Martin Recap - Autism Speaks).
• FoxNewsLA interviewed Areva Martin July 4, 2014, regarding a case of the abuse of a child with autism. 
• Areva Martin did an interview on the Dr. Rob Show about autism. 

Social Media: You can follow Areva Martin on the following social media areas. She is especially active on Twitter.

• Facebook Page of Areva Martin
• LinkedIn Page for Areva Martin
• Twitter for Areva Martin @ArevaMartin
• YouTube Channel for Areva Martin

Special thanks to Areva Martin for her advocacy for autism as an autism mother, attorney, author, and media personality. The ripple effects of her passion and work on behalf of autism can be felt around the United States and beyond. Areva Martin's work is an inspiration to the autism community. May her example light the way for others to serve those with autism, especially to help with the needs related to autism in the African American community.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism. 

The photo of Martin Luther King, Jr. in this post is in the Creative Commons of Wikipedia and is from the National Archives and Records Administration.

Izzy Paskowitz

Autism Light #370 is Israel "Izzy" Paskowitz. 

Israel "Izzy" Paskowitz is a professional surfer from San Juan Capistrano, California and an Autism Father. Izzy and his wife Danielle have a daughter named Ella and a son with autism named Isaiah. Izzy Paskowitz and his wife Danielle founded Surfers Healing, a nonprofit surf camp for children with autism over 15 years ago.  Izzy Paskowitz is named the first Autism Light of 2015 for making a difference in thousands of autism families through Surfers Healing. Izzy will also be the first representative of surfing on the Autism Light Sports Page.

Izzy was born as one of nine children in the famous "Doc" Paskowitz family, who in the early 1970's traveled around the United States in their camper and became known as the "First Family of Surfing". The Documentary Surfwise was written in 2007 about Izzy's family.

Gabriel Noble wrote, "Izzy naturally became a pro surfer. In 1983 he beat legends of the sport and soon became a world champion long-boarder. He won national and international events, including Australia's Coke Classic Championship and the Hang Ten Classic. At the height of his career he landed a Nike cover ad standing next to Bo Jackson, Michael Jordan and Andre Agassi (Gabriel Noble, Yahoo News, June 27, 2013)."

Here is a video of Izzy Paskowitz talking about his work at Surfers Healing.

In the above video Izzy Paskowitz says,

I know exactly what I'm supposed to do. I'm supposed to be here to take out children with autism surfing. I couldn't do anything else in autism. I'm not going to find the cure. I don't know to much about autism. But I know now I can take a bunch of autistic kids and we can ride waves and are not going to charge a penny for it (Izzy Paskowitz).

Scratching the Horizon: In 2012, Izzy Pascowitz and Daniel Paisner wrote the book Scratching the Horizon: A Surfing Life. Kristen Herrett wrote an Amazon review describing the book like this:

Izzy Paskowitz didn't think his life story would fill a book. It does more than fill it. It jumps out. Izzy pulls no punches and deals with his life honestly. While most memoirs are sold by their sensationalist revelations, Izzy acknowledges the sensational parts of his life with a shrug as if to say, "I know this sounds foreign to YOU, but it was just my life." The strength of Izzy's voice in the book leave the reader feeling as though he or she is being told the story over dinner and drinks. And it zips by much too quickly. This is not just another sob story memoir, it is an intimate look into a life that is anything but ordinary.

Surfers Healing: Surfers Healing was started in 1998. As a nonprofit surf camp, they depend on donations and volunteers to make this endeavor happen. In 2013, 4,500 kids were given the opportunity to surf at a Surfers Healing day camp. According to the Surfers Healing website their mission is:

Through the transformative experience of surfing, Surfers Healing attains greater mainstream acceptance for both the families of and the kids living with autism. People seem to have a lot of pre-conceived ideas about what kids with autism can or can't do. We're here to change those notions forever. Surfers Healing has spent the last 15 years taking children with autism surfing. Our goal is to help foster the understanding and acceptance of autism. 

Here is a video about Surfers Healing.

Social Media: You can follow Izzy Paskowitz and Surfers Healing on the following social media areas.

• Facebook Page for Izzy Paskowitz
• Facebook Page for Surfers Healing
• Twitter for Izzy Paskowitz @IzzyPaskowitz
• Twitter for Surfer's Healng @SurfersHealing
• YouTube Channel for Surfer's Healing

Special thanks to Izzy Paskowitz for his vision to help start Surfers Healing and his dedication to continue this very memorable camp for many children with autism. Izzy Paskowitz's efforts are an example of what a father can do by using their own talents and professional expertise to make a difference for autism. We wish Izzy and his family all the best. They are a treasure to the autism community.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Nathan Young

Autism Light #369 is Nathan Young.

Nathan Young is a 33 year old autism self-advocate from Fortuna, California, which is in western-central Humboldt County. In 2006 he founded the non-profit Autism Candles to raise autism awareness and to create opportunity for individuals with autism, and other developmental disabilities. What started as a local effort has expanded to a national outreach for autism. Nathan Young is an Autism Light because of his dedication to raise autism awareness and to provide employment opportunities for those with autism. His passion and energy to make a difference combined with his personal journey with autism helps him shine a light for autism. 

Autism Candles employs several people with autism who help make the actual candles. Workers hours change based on sales. It is the goal of Autism Candles to make homemade and personal candles rather than being a candle making factory. You can purchase candles through Amazon or on the Autism Candles Website. 

Nathan Young told Autism Light that, "The candle making project originated from the desire to show the world that people with autism, and other developmental disabilities, wanted to and could work. The goal was to get the attention of as many people in the area as possible."

These four goals are listed on the Autism Candles Website include:

• Foster Autism Awareness
• Promote Inclusion
• Assist advocacy efforts on social media and traditional news sources
• Assist advocacy efforts on social media and traditional news sources
• Provide for the candle making needs of the autism community

Writer: Nathan Young wrote an article called Stuck in Transition that was featured on the Autism Speaks Webpage on May 7, 2012.

Advice to those with Autism:  Nathan Young encourages others with autism to guard their health. He writes, "Taking care of yourself is the first priority. Depending on the individual, accepting that help is needed to have a healthy life is important. Changing the world begins with being healthy."

Advice to Parents of Children with Autism: Nathan Young has the following advice to parents in relationship to how they can empower their children to make a difference in the world.

Take charge of change. The idealism and the expectations that people in society will treat persons with developmental disabilities fairly is not enough. Encouraging individuals to be self-advocates, that their dreams matter, and promoting inclusion where you live, with the help of self-advocates is important. Many people may mean well, it’s just that they aren’t aware of what issues are really there. It’s important to make as many allies as possible, and to turn things around to the positive as often as possible, even when people make obvious social mistakes. Opportunity for lasting change exists around every corner (Nathan Young).

Autism Awareness Strategy: Nathan Young shared his detailed autism awareness strategy with Autism Light.

I am hyper-focused on the strategies of societal change for inclusion, by using logically sound strategies, and trying to be more successful with the participation of national organizations and other self-advocates, families, disability professionals and allies within the general public. That is, to create a more feasible success pathway by using the communities within specific regions and nationally to spread awareness, which provokes measurable progress.

The national inclusion platform I wish to encourage organizations to work together for, is something I call <Area> Includes. Essentially it is a way for towns/cities within county regions to incite progress for inclusive opportunity. For agencies and nonprofits which serve individuals with developmental disabilities, including autism, to serve out their missions with the help of local and national awareness. Regions may compete with one another, measures can take place and, for instance, agencies which facilitate inclusive training, such as job coaching, can qualify local businesses for sponsoring job hours for participants. This further can be empowered through local chambers of commerce and other business organizations which can work with a regional <Area> Includes to spotlight groups who participate, and who eventually directly hire individuals who have been trained through sponsorships with area businesses. Nationally, further propagation of this model may further tailor its goals, and perception within popular culture. As a nation we must work together, on many levels, to better ensure inclusion and hope (Nathan Young).

Other Blogs: The following are additional perspectives on Autism Candles from other blogs.

• Sarah's Voice Blog, June 24, 2013
• Expanding Career Opportunities for Aspies, May 22, 2013

Social Media: You can follow Nathan Young's work at Autism Candles at the following popular social media pages.

• Facebook Page of Autism Candles
• Facebook Page for Nathan Young
• Twitter @AutismCandles

Goals: Nathan Young described to Autism Light his goals for self-advocacy in this way.

I want national autism and developmental disability organizations, and I want our legislators to listen. I think there is a great need to focus on inclusion, so that mainstream media cannot ignore it; I want the community to be a part of pop culture, and through that awareness to improve inclusion, that is, improve personal treatment and health care and to inspire hope. People just don’t realize how common poverty, for example, is in the developmental disability community, but if we put our minds together and fight for it in strategic ways, we will see real change (Nathan Young).

Nathan Young has taken the perspective that to accomplish great things it starts with believing in people. He says, "I believe success for inclusive change begins with a mentality that most people may mean well, and would help with these necessary changes if provided the opportunity in positive ways."

Special thanks to Nathan Young for raising autism awareness. In a sense the candles his company creates are symbolic of the light being brought to the autism community through awareness and opportunities. Nathan Young is a fine representative of many self-advocates in the autism community and we wish him all the best in his efforts to make a difference for autism now and in the future. As an autism father and blogger I hope to meet other adult self-advocates like Nathan Young in the future because they encourage me about the future my young son faces.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Photos: The images in this post were used with permission of Nathan Young.

Wyatt Iles

Autism Light #351 is Wyatt Iles.

Wyatt Iles is 12 years old and from Claremont, California. He was born on August 24, 2001 and diagnosed with autism at age 2. He started playing golf at age 4 and has excelled as a junior golfer. Wyatt Iles is an Autism Light for his dedication and achievements as a student and golfer that set an example for others with autism and raise autism awareness.

Student: Wyatt Iles told Autism Light that he gets straight A's and maintains a 4.0 Grade Point Average. He especially likes mathematics and has been in advanced math classes. Although he will only be in eighth grade in the 2014-2015 school year, he will get the honor of going to Claremont High School to take Pre-Calculus for his math class ahead of his peers.

Special Olympics:  Wyatt got his debut as a golfer with the Special Olympics of Southern California. They have helped Wyatt be successful and as his skills grew he has competed in tournaments outside of the Special Olympics.

Quote: Wyatt told Autism Light that he feels this about autism:

"Autism is a label. Autistic or not, nobody can become talented at anything, without hard work and dedication. Be who you are, and strive to become who you want to be (Wyatt Iles)."

The following is a video about Wyatt's journey with autism and inspirational accomplishments. It includes an interview with Wyatt's father, Luther Iles.


Golf Achievements: Wyatt Iles was one of 18 kids in USA to be picked to be on the Tiger Woods Foundation National Junior Golf Team in 2013. Members of this team are selected based on golf ability, academic excellence, and under representation in the P.G.A. In 2013 he competed in the Callaway Junior Golf World Championship Tournament in San Diego, California. He also won a qualifying golf tournament, and will compete in the Optimist International Junior Golf Championship Tournament to be held July 19-24, 2014 at the PGA Resort and Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Wyatt Iles maintains a 7.9 golf handicap index (GHIN: 9729114).

Here is a news story by ABC7 News on Wyatt Iles' inspirational accomplishments.


Wyatt's Coach: Jay Lim, who is Wyatt's golf coach said, "If they find any interest at all, hey, nurture it, because look at what can happen. This is a great story, not just for golf, but for autism as a whole (ABC7).

Twitter: You can follow Wyatt Iles on Twitter @wyatt_iles.

Advice to Parents: Wyatt Iles had this valuable advice for parents that he told Autism Light.

I would encourage any parent of a child newly diagnosed with autism, to understand as much as they can about this disability. It does mean their child will likely face many challenges; however, with work, any challenge can be overcome. Many, including myself, diagnosed with autism have difficulty effectively communicating. It would be wise not to misinterpret this as a sign of low intelligence. I would encourage parents to actively seek out early autism intervention therapies, but equally discover and encourage your children to pursue the things they like. Most with autism have a limited field of interest, but many people do not realize the absolute passion autistic individuals have for things they find interesting. On that note, I would also suggest trying to avoid video games if possible, because I know from personal experience, they can easily become an addiction that can distract from your real goals in life. I have found my interests to be both golf and mathematics. It is likely they will both play defining roles in developing my future (Wyatt Iles, Email to Autism Light on 7/5/2014).

Future Plans: Wyatt Iles has a dream to be able to become a scratch golfer, and play golf professionally like the late Moe Norman (1929-2004), who is thought to be the only person with autism to date to play golf professionally.

Special thanks to Wyatt Iles for being an example to other students with autism. His dedication and success in golf is lighting the way for others with autism to consider golf as a sport. We wish Wyatt all the best in his endeavors. Something tells us the autism community and the world will be hearing more from him in the future.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

The photos in this post were used with permission of Wyatt Iles.