Autism Light: Canada

Showing posts with label Canada. Show all posts

Thursday, August 20, 2015

Harold Doherty

Autism Light #427 is Harold L. Doherty.

Harold L. Doherty is an attorney and autism father from Fredericton, New Brunswick in Canada. He is an autism advocate who is also a blogger and prolific user of social media. His son Conor has autism. Harold Doherty is an Autism Light for the dedication he has an autism father and for using his expertise as a Canadian attorney to help fight for autism services in Canada, especially that medicare will cover ABA therapy to help those who are most severely impacted by autism.

Harold Doherty with his son Conor

Autism Father: Harold Doherty has two sons and his 19 year old son Conor is severely impacted by autism. Harold began his autism advocacy in 1999 when Conor was 3 years old. Harold Doherty says, "My interest in autism, and my engagement in autism advocacy, began with my son Conor's Autism Disorder diagnosis and the need to do something (Organized Wisdom-Autism Reality in NB)."

Harold Doherty wrote the following Autism Pledge to his son Conor. It reveals the scope of his dedication and is found on his blog.

Today I Pledge to continue; I Pledge to continue to fight for the availability of effective autism treatments; I Pledge to continue to fight for real education for autistic children; I Pledge to continue to fight for decent residential care for autistic adults; I Pledge to continue to fight for a cure for autism; I pledge to continue finding joy in my son but not in the autism disorder that restricts his life; Today, and everyday, I Pledge to continue to hope for a better life for Conor and others with autism through accommodation, care, respect, treatment, and some day a cure; Today, and everyday, I Pledge to continue to fight for the best possible life for Conor, my son with autistic disorder (Facing Autism in New Brunswick Blog).

Attorney: Harold Doherty's primary area of practice as a lawyer in Canada has been in the field of labour and employment law. He has also had extensive involvement working with some First Nation’s (Indian Bands) in the province of New Brunswick where he lives and practices.

Medicare for Autism Now!: Harold Doherty is a member of the Board of Directors of Medicare for Autism Now!. He advocates for ABA treatment for autism disorder coverage under medicare legislation in Canada. Harold is advocating for inclusion of evidence based autism treatment and ABA, under the Canada Health Act. He will be an advocate for autism coverage under medicare in the current federal election in Canada.

The following is a 2012 interview featuring Harold Doherty in a series called Medicare's Orphans.

Facing Autism in New Brunswick Blog: Harold Doherty started his blog Facing Autism in New Brunswick in 2006 to spread his autism advocacy. Since it's beginning his blog has had almost 1.3 million page views. His blog includes both news and opinions related to his autism advocacy in Canada as well as personal updates on Conor and his journey as an autism father.

If you wish to read Harold Doherty's blog, the following are two selected posts on his blog that Harold Doherty recommends people read.

You may also find some of Harold Doherty's blog posts in syndication and tagged on the Autism Speaks Blog.

ABA Advocate: Harold believes in the proven effectiveness of ABA therapy to make a difference for autism. His efforts as an autism advocate have it's start when he "began to realize the seriousness of his [son Connor's] autism disorder, that ABA treatment could be helpful and that ABA based early intervention for autism disorder was not generally available where I live (Harold Doherty via an email to Autism Light, August 3, 2015)."

Care and Treatment for Adults with Autism: Harold Doherty has been an autism advocate as his son has grown from a toddler to an adult. His current priority is to advocate for better services for adults with autism. He writes the following about the urgency of this part of his efforts.

My most important effort right now is working on adult autism care and treatment and for that reason met with the provincial Minister of Social Development for the province of New Brunswick. Establishment of a decent, modern adult autism care and treatment is the biggest challenge I have faced and both me and my son are getting older. Time is growing short (Harold Doherty via an email to Autism Light, August 3, 2015).

Questioning Neurodiversity Message: Autism is a spectrum that represents people who have extraordinary abilities as well as exceptional disabilities. The great chasm of differences in the intellectual and developmental capacity of individuals with autism can lead to profound differences in autism messaging from their advocates. Harold Doherty has personal experiences with the serious difficulties facing individuals with low functioning autism both in his family and in his community work. He has raised an alarm about the unintended consequences of the neurodiversity message having the potential to demotivate government from providing critical autism treatment services. He writes the following about neurodiversity.

I believe that neurodiversity is a major obstacle to improving lives of those with autism disorders including my son. The mainstream media has a tendency to grab the feel good stories about those persons with high functioning autism or Aspergers who have very impressive accomplishments. The severe end of the spectrum tends to be ignored by the media and generally lost to public consciousness until a serious tragedy results as in the Avonte Oquendo case and other cases of wandering leading to death (Harold Doherty via an email to Autism Light, August 3, 2015).

Photographer: Harold Doherty's principle hobby is outdoor photography that he combines with his love of walking. He writes, "I am fortunate to live in a city called the green city with a very natural environment and wildlife in the middle of, and throughout, the city. I have always loved being outdoors and in nature and I combine the two for exercise and relaxation (Harold Doherty via an email to Autism Light, August 3, 2015)." The following is a photo he took on his walk that he posted on Twitter.

Conor on bench waitinf for slowpoke Dad to catch up.during a trail walk this week. pic.twitter.com/knRpjgTekt
— Harold L Doherty (@AutismRealityNB) July 31, 2015

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

Special thanks to Harold Doherty for being an Autism Light. His dedication and tenacity as an autism advocate is a strength of source for those severely impacted by autism who may not necessarily be able to speak for themselves. We wish Harold Doherty all the best in his role as an autism father and community advocate in New Brunswick, Canada.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Photos: The photos in the post were used with permission of Harold L. Doherty and are in the "Buddies Forever" section of his blog's main page.

Sunday, June 14, 2015

Ted Lindsay

In Memoriam
Updated on March 4, 2019

Ted Lindsay (Autism Light #411) passed away on March 4, 2019, at the age of 93. The Detroit Free Press has issued a news story on his passing while under hospice care. Ted Lindsay's name will be placed on the Autism Light Memorial Roll today.

Autism Light #411 is Ted Lindsay.

Ted Lindsay

Ted Lindsay was born on July 29, 1925, in Renfrow, Ontario in Canada. He lives in Oakland, Michigan near Detroit. Ted Lindsay had a hall of fame career in the National Hockey League playing for the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks. Ted Lindsay is an Autism Light because he established the Ted Lindsay Foundation and has been shining a light on finding a cure for autism since 2001.

NHL Career: Ted Lindsay scored 851 points in his hockey career from 1944-1965. He played Left Wing for the Detroit Red Wings and the Chicago Blackhawks. His nickname as a player was Terrible Ted, because of his aggressive style of play. Ted Lindsay was inducted into the National Hockey Hall of Fame in 1966. His illustrious career included winning the Stanley Cup four times and he was the first player to skate around the rink with the Stanley Cup hoisted over his head after his Detroit Red Wings team won the championship.This started a tradition that has been continued to this day.

The following documentary celebrates the accomplishments of Ted Lindsay as a Legend of Hockey.

Hockey Players Union: Lindsay is also known for playing a key role in helping the Hockey players organize a players association, an action that resulted in the Detroit Red Wings trading him to the last place Chicago Blackhawks in 1957. The 1995 movie Net Worth was about Lindsay's role in this historical step for the NHL.

Ted Lindsay Foundation: The Ted Lindsay Foundation was created in 2001 and had raised over $2 million for research into new autism treatments as of 2013. The mission of the Ted Lindsay foundation is, "To raise money and funds to support research and educational programs focusing on the cause and management of Autism Spectrum Disorders (Source: tedlindsay.com)." You can find more about the foundation at tedlindsay.com.

Ted Lindsay does not have relatives with autism, but back in 2001 his physical therapist at the time had a 4 year old with autism. "Ted took on this cause at 76 years-old after finding out the son of a close friend had autism. Ted tells everyone until then he never heard about autism and didn't know how debilitating it is to children (Detroithub, February 25, 2013)."

Here is a video of Ted Lindsay at his 12th Annual Celebrity Golf Outing to raise money for autism in 2013.

The Ted Lindsay Foundation, 12th Annual Celebrity Golf Outing from Zara Creative on Vimeo.

Hope Center at Beaumont Hospital: In April 2014, Ted Lindsay announced a $1 million gift from his foundation to the Beaumont Hospital. Because of this gift it will be renamed the Ted Lindsay Foundation Hope Center (Ted Lindsay Website).

The following is a video of some of the work the Ted Lindsay Hope Center will be doing for families.

Todd Lang, an autism father, said that The Ted Lindsay Foundation, "is one of the foundations that really makes a difference, where the results are tangible. Mr. Lindsay's passion for creating awareness, to making people understand not only what autism is but what resources are available, is important (Livingston Daily, February 8, 2015)."

Wikipedia: You can learn more about Ted Lindsay at his Wikipedia Page.

Social Media: You can follow the Ted Lindsay Foundation on the following social media.

Contact: Information on contacting Ted Lindsay for an autograph is on his FanMail webpage. You can also contact the Ted Lindsay Foundation at 1819 E. Big Beaver Rd. Ste. 200 Troy, MI 48083 Phone: 248.457.1400 or email: info@tedlindsay.com.

Special thanks to Ted Lindsay for being an Autism Light. The efforts he has made to raise funds to support autism are shining a light in many areas of autism in Michigan. Never estimate what one man can do who wants to make a difference.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Photo: The photo of Ted Lindsay was from the Creative Commons of Wikipedia.

Monday, June 8, 2015

Scott Mellanby

Autism Light #408 is Scott Mellanby.

Scott Mellanby was born in Montreal, Canada on June 11, 1966. Scott Mellanby has two sons named Nicholas and Carter and a daugher named Courtney. His son Carter has autism. Scott Mellanby is a retired National Hockey League player who helped found Athletes Against Autism. Scott Mellanby is an Autism Light for his dedication as an autism father and for his efforts to raise awareness for autism through the former Athletes Against Autism and the Mellanby Autism Foundation.

The following is a a YouTube video featuring an interview with Scott Mellanby. In the video Scott Mellanby discusses his willingness to help fellow autism father hockey player Pierre Groulx.

Hockey Career: Scott Mellanby played as a right wing in the National Hockey League from 1985-2007. He played during his career for the Philadelphia Flyers, Edmonton Oilers, Florida Panthers, St. Louis Blues, and Atlanta Thrashers. On October 9, 1993, he scored the first ever goal in the history of the Florida Panthers franchise. He killed a rat with his goalie stick in 1996 and inspired the "rat trick" movement from the fans of the Florida Panthers, where they would throw plastic rats on the ice after a Panthers goal. Scott Mellanby's career statistics are available at Hockey-reference.com. Scott Mellanby retired in 2007.

Post-Playing Career: Scott Mellanby continued to be involved in hockey in front office positions after his playing days were finished and most recently he was named the Assistant GM of the Montreal Candiens on July 30, 2014.

Athletes Against Autism: In 2006, Scott Mellanby joined fellow hockey players Olaf Kolzig and Byron Dafoe as one of the original founders of Athletes Against Autism. Athletes Against Autism is now associated with Autism Speaks.

Mellanby Autism Foundation: Scott Mellanby and his wife Susan established the Mellanby Autism Foundation in 1999 after their son Carter was diagnosed with autism. It is a non profit organization that helps with direct care services to people affected by autism and their families. Scott Mellanby said this about starting the foundation as an acknowledgement to the many others who care and are not autism parents.

We get credited for starting foundations and doing this kind of stuff. Obviously for us there was a direct relationship to our family so it was a natural thing to do, but there are a lot of athletes and non-athletes that are doing what they can nowadays to get involved with charities even if they weren’t affected by it and I think those people are very special for wanting to get involved and they deserve a lot of credit for that (Scott Mellanby, Pros Give Back).

Wikipedia Page: You can find out more information about Scott Mellanby at his Wikipedia Page.

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

Twitter @Mellanby19

Special thanks to Scott Mellanby for being one of the founders of Athletes Against Autism and using his notoriety to promote autism awareness. Autism Light wishes Scott and his family all the best in their ongoing journey with autism.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Photo: The photo of Scott Mellanby is in the Wikipedia Creative Commons.

Monday, May 25, 2015

Ana Abreu

Autism Light #401 is Ana Abreu.

Ana Abreu is a security guard at the Promenade Mall in Thornhill, Canada, a suburb of Toronto. Ana Abreu is an Autism Light because in March of 2013 she helped a teenager with autism named Cliff McIntosh, who was having a difficult time in the mall where she was worked.

In March of 2013, Cliff McIntosh became overwhelmed because he lost his sunglasses at the Promenade Mall in Thornhill, Canada. His mother Laura Kirby-McIntosh struggled to control him in the ensuing meltdown. Ana Abreu was a security guard at the mall who arrived on the scene and helped Cliff make it through this rough time.

A video of the news story on Ana Abreu being a hero to a person with autism was done by CBC News. Laura Kirby-McIntosh, Cliff's mother, nominated Ana Abreu for the Community Hero Award. On May 21, 2015, Ana Abreu received the Community Hero Award in a ceremony at the Promenade Mall (CBC News, May 20, 2015).

Laura Kirby-McIntosh said this about Ana Abreu:

Through it all, though, I remember Abreu. She spoke to me calmly, reassured me that I was doing a great job and helped to keep the people around us safe. I remember feeling comforted by her presence, knowing that we were safer as a result of her help. I remember her listening to me while I told her a bit about my son’s story, and laughing with me as I tried desperately to relocate the sense of humour I frequently use to get me through my hardest moments (Laura Kirby-McIntosh, Parents of Autistic Children Rely on 'Angels' such as Ana, The Star.com, May 15, 2015).

Ana Abreu is presently volunteering with the Toronto Police Force and hopes to one day join its Mobile Crisis Intervention Team (Laura Kirby-McIntosh, Parents of Autistic Children Rely on 'Angels' such as Ana, The Star.com, May 15, 2015). For more information on Ana Abreu receiving the Community Hero Award read the Paladin News Release on May 21, 2015.

Special thanks to Ana Abreu for being an Autism Light in her job as a mall security guard. Ana Abreu received her Community Hero Award on behalf of all the unknown people who offered to help Cliff and his mother at the Promeade Mall in March of 2013. Likewise we present this Autism Light to Ana Abreu on behalf of all the other security guards and other nameless individuals who have been a tremendous blessing when the stepped into help people with autism and their parents during public meltdowns.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Saturday, April 25, 2015

Dorian Poe

Autism Light #391 is Dorian Poe.

Dorian Poe

Dorian Poe is an 11 year old boy who has autism. He lives in Burlington, Ontario in Canada. Burlington is part of the Greater Toronto Area. Dorian Poe is an Autism Light for the way in which he raises autism awareness through his beloved Webkinz Polar Bear Tikko™.

According to his blog at tikko.ca, "Dorian loves Pokemon, Skylanders, video games (like Minecraft), and being creative (through drawings, story-telling, and building Lego)."

Dorian started sending his beloved Webkinz Polar Bear Tikko™ into the world when he was 9 years old in January of 2013. One of Dorian's favorite sayings is, "Autism...it's okay to be different." Thus Tikko™ wears a shirt that has a puzzle piece and those words from Dorian on it.

Each bear that is sent out comes with a letter from Dorian which encourages the owner of Tikko™ to raise autism awareness through the bear. The letter says,

Hello my name is Dorian. I am 11. I have autism and so does my pet polar bear Tikko™. Tikko™ is about to go travelling on an adventure; and I need you to take care of him. My polar bear wants to raise Autism Awareness. Just call him "Tikko the Autism Bear or Tikko™. Guess what, this guy is much more different than the other polar bears you know. Things you should look out for:

Tikko™ gets really angry sometimes

Tikko™ has anxiety

Tikko™ doesn't like being tickled

Be very patient with Tikko™

Tikko™ likes school

Tikko™ is great at math

Tikko™ cries, screams, hits, kicks, and GROWLS

Tikko™ throws chairs and desks

Tikko™ is very, VERY loud

Tikko™ wants attention, food, drinks, and someone to play with

Most of all, Tikko™ wants LOVE

I LOVE TIKKO™. I would love it if you can take pictures of Tikko™ while he is gone. Help Tikko™ promote AUTISM AWARENESS to the WORLD.

Thank You,

Dorian

Over the years Tikko™ has traveled around the world. You can view all the places that Tikko™ has been to on Tikko's Website. There are about 20 Tikko™ bears in circulation either traveling around the world or serving as a companion to one of the Ambassadors for Autism at Tikko Travels.

The following is a video of when Tikko™ went skydiving in Toronto.

The dream of Tikko Travels is to have special Ambassadors for Autism in countries all over the world who are committed to the campaign. They would loan out their bears for trips. There are already 9 people who are continuing to promote Tikko™ beyond taking him on vacation. They have received a special certificate as a Ambassador for Autism. There is currently a "Help Tikko™ Travel" Kick Starter Campaign to raise $10,000 to help toward accomplishing this dream.

Alessia Cohle's Song Make a Change: One of the special Ambassadors for Tikko Travels is Alessia Cohle. Dorian's dream inspired her and her partner Brian Donkers to write the song Make a Change (The Tikko Song). Christine Poe told Autism Light, "We feel it would make a wonderful Autism Anthem! It is inspiring! Alessia’s love for Tikko and families with autism make her a superstar in our eyes! Our dream is to see Alessia sing this song at the Toronto Blue Jay Autism Speaks “Autism Awareness” game in 2016!”

Quote from Dorian: Dorian shared these words with Autism Light that give a glimpse into the world of autism.

Life with autism is hard. Controlling emotions is difficult. We don't always know when people are joking. Sometimes we ask the same question over and over again and drive people crazy. We go on and on about something even when people tell us to stop. But we have really special gifts too; like being great at writing, singing, very creative, good at sports, very imaginative, very smart, and we all work as a team (Dorian Poe)

Social Media: You can follow Dorian Poe and the travels of Tikko™ on the following social media areas.

Dorian Poe attends a private school, because it has helped him with his education more than a public school could. From 2009-2012 he attended Woodview Learning Academy. Since 2012, Dorian has attended Missing Links Academy. You can donate online toward his family's ongoing tuition costs.

Behind many exceptional individuals with autism there is a parent, so we want to pay a huge tribute to the valuable role that Dorian's mother Christine Poe has had in helping her son fulfill his dream's for autism awareness around the world through Tikko™. It is a blessing that Dorian has such an engaging mother who cares so much to help him carry out the business of maintaining the Tikko Travels initiative.

Special thanks to Dorian Poe for being an Autism Light. The idea to raise autism awareness by having Tikko™ travel around the world on behalf of autism was a very creative initiative. Dorian desires to be a rock star someday but he is already a rock star for autism awareness. We wish Dorian Poe all the best in his autism awareness and development as a young person.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Photos: The photos of Dorian Poe was used with permission of his mother Christine Poe.

Sunday, March 29, 2015

Chase Faulingham

Autism Light #384 is Chase Faulingham.

Chase Faulingham is a 5 year old boy with autism from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia in Canada. Chase Faulingham is an Autism Light because he heard someone outside in distress and his alertness helped rescue the man.

On Thursday, March 19, 2015, Chase Faulingham was outside walking with his grandfather Thomas Murray. Chase heard a soft cry for Help coming from behind a snowbank. His alertness to the cry for help led to the rescue of the man who had fallen behind a snowbank and was injured (CTV News, March 22, 2015).

Last year Chase could barely speak, but he has had tremendous progress this last year that brought him to the capacity to listen to unusual sounds outside such as a cry for Help. Here is a video of a news story on Chase Faulingham being a hero for this unidentified injured person.

Chase's mother Jamie Mackinnon said, "People when they see a special needs child tend to put limits on him but it just goes to show he's a healthy little 5 year old boy (CTV News, March 22, 2015)."

Special thanks to Chase Faulingham for being an Autism Light. His heroic listening skills that helped rescue a man in distress is an example of the valuable things individuals with autism can do. We wish Chase all the best as he continues to grow and make a difference in the world.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Chris Miller

Autism Light #375 is Chris Miller.

Chris Miller is in Grade 10 at Cardinal Newman School in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada and he has autism. Chris Miller is an Autism Light because his quick thinking in November, 2014, helped save his neighbor who was crushed by a car.

In 2014 Chris Miller had a stroke that was caused by nephrotic syndrome, a kidney disease. He had been in coma and a neurologist had said he might never walk again or use his arms or legs. But seven months later he was not only recovered from his stroke but he had the strength and skills to be a life-saving hero to his neighbor (CBC News, Adam Carter, January 15, 2015).

In November, 2014, Chris heard a cry for help outside his home and ran to investigate. His neighbor had been doing mechanical work on a car and the heavy vehicle had fallen on top of him. Chris Miller used his quick thinking and ran and grabbed his car jack and used it to lift the car up so his neighbor could get free.

Dean DiFrancesco, the principal of Cardinal Newman School in Hamilton, Canada, said, "Christopher's heroic life-saving actions demonstrate his sense of compassion and his willingness to always do whatever he can do to help those around him - whether it be in the hallways or classrooms at school or in the local community (As Quoted by CBC News, Adam Carter, January 15, 2015)."

To read more about Chris Miller's heroic act read the original news story that featured this story in the CBC News - Hamilton, Adam Carter, January 15, 2015.

Special thanks to Chris Miller for showing the world that someone with autism can truly make a difference and save the life of their fellow human being. His heroic act is an inspiration to the autism community. Chris Miller is representative of the many unsung heroes who have autism and are making a difference in service and compassion within their communities by using their talents and initiative.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Moe Norman

Autism Light #372 is Moe Norman.

Murray Irwin "Moe" Norman was a legendary golf player with a perfectly straight natural swing that continues to be a model to this day and earned him the nickname "Pipeline Moe". Many of his close friends believe Moe had autism and was a savant for his unparalleled skill in golf. Moe Norman was born on July 10, 1929, and he died of congestive heart failure on September 4, 2004. His home was in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. Moe Norman is an Autism Light because of how his efforts set an example for young people with autism who aspire to play professional golf, including young Wyatt Iles, who was Autism Light #351. Moe Norman will be placed on the Autism Light Memorial Roll today.

Golfing Career: Moe Norman had 55 professional wins and shot a hole-in-one a remarkable 17 times. Moe played briefly in Major PGA tournaments in the United States in the late 1950's, but his eccentric behavior caused him some problems fitting into the rigid culture of the PGA and led him to retreat to exclusively playing in tournaments in his homeland of Canada. He set 33 golf course records and won the Canadian PGA in 1966 and 1974. He was the Canadian PGA Seniors' Championship winner from 1979-1985 and in 1987.

Hall of Fame: Moe Norman was inducted into the following hall of fames.

Professional Golfers Association of Canada Hall of Fame (2014)
Canadian Sports Hall of Fame (2006)
Canadian Golf Hall of Fame (1995)

Bruce Selcraig said, "I never heard Norman speak about autism, but I know that he understood its cruelties. In his car, which was filled with old newspaper clippings and the motivational tapes that helped rescue his life, he once had a well-worn article about autism sitting on the front seat. In the article the outdated term 'idiot savant' was discussed at length. Norman had crossed out the word idiot (USA Today, September 29, 2004)."

Moe & Me: Loren Rubenstein published the book Moe & Me in April, 2012 reflecting on his relationship with Moe Norman. Bradley S. Klein's review of the book said this about it.

Rubenstein makes clear in this sad and touching tale that Norman lived a life filled with meaning and purpose. Maybe he suffered a form of autism. Maybe he was an obsessive-compulsive. But he had a special gift, and he built it into a life. He was something of a “Rainman” of golf. It’s an existence that would make a great movie. The key, as Rubenstein emphasizes throughout, is that Norman found a certain inner peace and security just hitting those perfect shots (Bradley S. Klein, Golf Week).

Moe Norman said later in his life, "It's not what the world gives you, but what you can give it. I'm lucky. I can give the world talent. I can explain it and show it to people. That's what I love doing. I just love it (Moe Norman on Moe Norman.org)."

Lee Trevino Praise: Lee Trevino said of Moe, "I don't know of any player, ever, who could strike a golf ball like Moe Norman, as far as hitting it solid, knowing where it is going and knowing what he wants to do with the ball Moe Norman is a genius when it comes to playing the game of golf (Moe Norman.org)."

Legacy of Swing: Moe Norman had such skill at his natural golf swing that ten years after his death, there is still a Moe Norman Single Swing Authority program being promoted by Graves Golf and the website moenorman.org also teaches the late golfer's technique.

Wikipedia: You can learn more about Moe Norman on the Moe Norman Wikipedia Page.

You can also read more about Moe Norman at these websites.

Perhaps Moe Norman might have become one of the greatest golfers in history if he had the appropriate supports for his disability, but what he did accomplish was amazing in itself. His life is an example to others that people with autism can excel at sports, including golf. Like many individuals with autism, Moe was a happy person. Moe Norman's own words may describe how he would want to be remembered by the golfing public and the autism community. "Hope and fear, hope and fear, that's how people play golf. Not me. No, not me. I see happiness. I see happiness (Bradley S. Klein, Golf Week)."

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Ryan and Megan Nicholson

Autism Lights #319 are Ryan and Megan Nicholson.

Ryan and Megan Nicholson are from British Columbia, Canada. Nathan Antone, a 12 year old boy with autism, had his bicycle stolen in front of the Maple Ridge Library on November 12, 2013. Although the Nicholson's did not previously know Nathan Antone, they decided to help out when they heard of his loss. Ryan and Megan Nicholson are Autism Lights because when they heard that Nathan Antone had his bicycle stolen, they purchased him a new bike, along with a light and lock on November 15, 2013.

In explaining his rationale for buying the bicycle, Ryan said, "Somebody did something very nice for me and I am just paying it forward so to speak. I think if more people did nice things to even strangers, it would just make the world a better place (Huffington Post, 11/16/2013)."

For more information on this Random Act of Kindness from Ryan and Megan Nicholson read these news articles:

Special thanks to Ryan and Megan Nicholson for being Autism Lights. The kindness they offered a boy with autism who lost his bike is an inspiration. It is hoped that this brief Autism Light feature will encourage others to commit random acts of kindness toward people with autism that may suffer injustices.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Friday, November 8, 2013

Robert MacNeil

Autism Light #315 is Robert MacNeil.

Robert MacNeil is 82 years old and is an Autism Grandfather. Robert MacNeil, also known as Robin MacNeil, is an author and a news journalist who along with Jim Lehr anchored the MacNeil-Lehr Newshour on PBS for 20 years. MacNeil was born in Canada and became an American citizen in 1997. He has homes in both Nova Scotia and Manhattan, New York. Robert MacNeil is an Autism Light for raising awareness of autism by using his news reporting skills to tell the story of autism, including that of his Grandson Nick.

Education: Robert MacNeil graduated from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada in 1955.

News Anchor: From 1975-1995, Robert MacNeil and Jim Lehr hosted the MacNeil-Lehr Newshour on PBS. The daily news program that focused on a single feature was popular and groundbreaking. On October 20, 1995, Jim Lehr gave a Tribute to Robert MacNeil as MacNeil ended his time with the program. After a hiatus of over a decade, Robert MacNeil returned briefly to the Newshour in 2011 to do a 6 part Autism Now series that has a personal connection to his family. Here is the news segment that Robert MacNeil did on his then 6 year old Grandson Nick's life, as part of the series on Autism Now.

More information on this series can be found on the PBS Newshour Autism Now Webpage. Author: Robert MacNeil's biography on the PBS Newshour Website shares this about his writings:

MacNeil is the author of several books. "The People Machine," (1968) studied the relationship between television and politics. He has written three memoirs, "The Right Place at the Right Time" (1982), "Wordstruck" (1989) and "Looking For My Country, Finding Myself in America" (2003). He wrote three best-selling novels, "Burden of Desire" (1992), "The Voyage" (1995) and "Breaking News" (1998). He was co-author of "The Story of English," companion volume to the BBC-PBS television series which he hosted, and its sequel, "Do You Speak American?" (2005), a three-hour PBS series on American English today (PBS News Hour-Where Are They Now?)

Honors: In 1997, Robert MacNeil was made an officer in the Order of Canada in honor of his contributions in the field of journalism. The Order of Canada is the highest civilian award that is given to a Canadian. You can find out more about Robert MacNeil at the following pages.

Special thanks to Robert MacNeil for his devotion as an Autism Grandparent and for shining a light on autism with his talent in journalism. Robert MacNeil's contribution to the Autism Now series helped raise awareness of autism.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Anthony Barrett

Autism Light #305 is Anthony Barrett

Anthony Barrett is 24 years old and has autism. He lives in Edmonton, Alberta in Canada. Anthony Barrett is an Autism Light because he had a major accomplishment in his life as an invidual with autism, when he started his own business. Anthony Barrett is the owner of the Anthony At Your Service delivery business, a venture that began in 2012.

Here is a video of Anthony Barrett created by his aide/assistant Mikey Hamm.

Anthony At Your Service: Anthony's website says, "Anthony is a gentle, joyful young man with autism, who has started his own delivery business (Read More at the Anthony At Your Service Website)." Anthony has a business where he runs errands, pickups, and deliveries within the City of Edmonton, Canada.
Here is a video of the first year of Anthony's Business.
Julie Brown of Brown & Hone Orthodontic said, "Everyone feels good when Anthony comes to the office. We know when he takes our dental cases to our clients he's bringing them that same good feeling as well (Read More Customer Testimonials at the Anthony at Your Service Website)."
You can read more about Anthony Barrrett's accomplishments in the Global News Story called Man With Autism Reaches Business Milestone.
Social Media: You can follow Anthony's business on Twitter at @AnthonyAYS.
Special thanks to Anthony Barrett for being an Autism Light and providing this wonderful example of a business run by an individual with autism. We wish Anthony success in all his future endeavors.
Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Saturday, June 15, 2013

Arthur Fleischmann

Autism Light #281 is Arthur Fleischmann.

In honor of Father's Day 2013, we wanted to honor a very special autism father who is the co-author of the book Carly's Voice, which tells the inspirational story of his nonverbal daughter. Arthur Fleischmann is partner and president of john st advertising and lives in Toronto, Canada with his wife Tammy Starr and their children Matthew, Taryn, and Carly. His daughter, Carly Fleischmann, was the first Autism Light and the inspiration for the start of the Autism Light blog. Arthur Fleischmann is an Autism Light because of his dedication as an autism father, and his autism advocacy through speaking and writing about Carly's breakthrough in communication.

Education: Arthur Fleischmann received his B.A. in English Literature and Economics from Brandeis University. He earned an M.B.A. from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University (Source).

The following is a video where Arthur Fleischmann explains about Telling Carly's Story.

Carly's Voice: Arthur Fleishchmann co-authored the book Carly's Voice. Carly wrote the last chapter of the book and Arthur wrote the rest of the manuscript. It was published in April, 2012. Carly's Voice has been translated into 6 languages and may be ordered from Simon & Schuster and you can read excerpts at Carly's website at http://www.carlysvoice.com/.

Arthur Fleischmann said about his journey in the early years as an autism father: "If we had done what so many people told us to do years ago, we wouldn't have the child we have today. We would have written her off. We would have assumed the worst. We would have never seen how she could write these things —how articulate she is, how intelligent she is (Source)."

John st. advertising: Arthur Fleischmann is president and partner with the john st. advertising firm, a top advertising agency in Toronto, Canada. His staff page at john st. says:

His career included stints in sales (Xerox) and marketing (Kraft/General Foods), before deciding on a life in advertising. In starting john st. in 2001, his goal was to create a “creative collaborative” without the silos or bureaucracy or territorialism he’d seen in his previous lives. He believes creativity is a powerful business tool and has led his team to win more advertising effectiveness awards than any other agency in the last decade (Source).

Lavin Agency Speaker's Bureau: Arthur Fleischmann is a speaker through the Lavin Agency Speaker's Bureau. You can read his speaker's page at the Lavin Agency.

Autism Live: The following is a video where Arthur Fleischmann was featured on the "Let's Talk Autism" segment of Autism Live on June 20, 2012.

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

Special thanks to Arthur Fleischmann for being an autism light. His dedication to his daughter Carly and to telling her story is promoting autism awareness around the world. Happy Father's Day to all the autism fathers working hard to make the best possible life for their children. If you wish to read about other autism fathers featured over the years at Autism Light search with the label Fathers.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

The photo in this post is used with permission of Arthur Fleischmann.

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Mike Lake

Autism Light #269 is Mike Lake.

The Honorable Michael "Mike" Lake is an Autism Father, businessman, and has been a Member of Parliament in Canada since 2006. Mike Lake is from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He is a father of a teenager named Jaden who has autism. Mike Lake is an Autism Light both for his dedication first as an autism father and for spreading autism awareness in his role as a political leader in Canada.
Mike Lake and his wife Debi have two children, a son Jaden, 17 and a daughter Jenae, 13. The following is an interview Mike Lake had with Steve Paikin on The Agenda in 2012. Mike Lake's son Jaden is sitting beside him during the interview.
Education: Mike Lake graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Commerce (with distinction).
Sports Executive: Before Mike Lake entered Canadian federal politics, he worked for 10 years with the Edmonton Oilers Hockey Club. He served as National Accounts Manager, Director of Ticket Sales and Group Sales Manager for the Edmonton Oilers.
Autism Society of Edmonton: Mike Lake is a Member of the Autism Society of Edmonton. In August, 2012, Mike Lake held his 5th Annual Pancake Breakfast to raise funds for the Autism Society of Edmonton. The event raised $40,000 in 2012, which was $8,000 more than in 2011 (Source).
At his annual fundraiser in 2012, Mike Lake shared how important the Autism Society has been for his family and said, "We got the diagnosis from the Glenrose and the first place we turned was the Autism Society to try and find out what to do next and get advice and hear a little bit more about what was available out there and here from other families who were going through the same thing we were (Source)."
If you want to learn more about the work of the Autism Society of Edmonton visit their website at www.autismedmonton.org.
Member of Parliament: Mike Lake has been a Member of Parliament in Canada, serving in the House of Commons since 2006. Mike Lake was appointed by Prime Minister Stephen Harper as the Parliamentary Secretary of Industry in 2008. The following is a statement that Mike Lake made on World Autism Awareness Day -2013 for the Parliament in Canada.

Autism advocacy is a very important component of Mike Lake's work in Canada's House of Commons. Mike Lake told ABC News in September, 2012, "I didn't get elected to Parliament on the autism issue, but as time has gone by, it's one world. It has allowed me a platform to get out there and raise awareness (Source)."
Visit the Autism Work section of his Website to see extensive content and media work Mike Lake has done for Autism since his election to Parliament in 2006. This is a very helpful page for all those interested in Mike Lake's autism advocacy. Additional Information: You can read more about Mike Lake on the following Websites:

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

Special thanks to Mike Lake for being a dedicated father, a fundraiser, and an advocate for autism awareness. The autism community in Canada is fortunate to have Mike Lake in Parliament providing a voice to those who, because of the effects of autism, can not speak for themselves. If you wish to read posts on other Autism Lights from Canada you can click on the Canada Label at Autism Light.
Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Friday, January 18, 2013

Byron Dafoe

Autism Light #250 is Byron Dafoe.

Byron Dafoe was born in Worthing, Sussex, England. At two months of age he moved with his mother to British Columbia, Canada. Byron Dafoe has a son with autism and he is a retired National Hockey League player who helped found Athletes Against Autism. He lives in British Columbia today. Byron Dafoe is an Autism Light for his dedication as an autism father and for his efforts to raise awareness for autism through Athletes Against Autism.

Hockey Career: Byron Dafoe played as a goaltender for the Boston Bruins, Washington Capitals, Los Angeles Kings and Atlanta Thrashers between 1992 and 2004. In 1999, Byron Dafoe was inducted into the Portland Pirates Hall of Fame (Source). His nickname was "Lord Byron". Byron Dafoe's career statistics are available at Hockey-reference.com.

Athletes Against Autism: In 2006, Byron Dafoe joined fellow hockey players Olaf Kolzig and Scott Mellanby as one of the original founders of Athletes Against Autism. Athletes Against Autism is now associated with Autism Speaks.

Wikipedia Page: You can find out more information about Byron Dafoe at his Wikipedia Page.

Special thanks to Byron Dafoe for being one of the founders of Athletes Against Autism and using his notoriety to promote autism awareness. Autism Light wishes Byron and his family all the best in their ongoing journey with autism.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Friday, April 6, 2012

Sara Winter

Autism Light #180 is Sara Winter.

Sara Winter is from Toronto, Canada. She is an aunt of a child with autism. She has spent over a decade working as a teacher's aid for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in school settings and serving as an aid to her 12 year old nephew who has autism. Sara is also a writer who writes on subjects that raises awareness for autism. In January, 2012 Sara Winter launched a social platform site for tweens and teens with Autism called Squag™ that she and her family had spent two years creating themselves. Sara Winter is a Autism Light for creating the unique Squag™ website to meet the special social needs of young people with autism and for being a writer, aunt, and aide, that shines a light for autism each day.

Here is a video that provides an overview of how the Squag™ site works.

Autism Light asked Sara Winter how Squag™ came to fruition. She said,

We started Squag™ because we felt kids with autism were often underestimated in their daily life and that many environments weren't conducive to the way they communicate. Our goal is to give kids a safe place to be themselves, build original ideas and gain some confidence with the idea of friendship to take with them wherever they go.

The platform was named Squag™ because it was one of the first words of Sara's loved one with autism. "Squag" was one of his first words - his word for "square" back in the early days of his diagnosis and treatment therapy. The word reminds how far he's come and how far we know he'll go (Source)." You may go to www.squag.com to find out all about the Squag™ social platform and sign up.

One of the questions parents may have about Squag™ is how it keeps kids safe in contrast with the potential concerns by other social media sites. Sara Winter explained the security protocols this way:

The Squagpad itself (the parent/child communication) is a totally private experience. We follow strict privacy laws and just received our truste certification. For our launch of the peer-to-peer capabilities, later this spring, we are working with several special needs organizations with coded membership to ensure that everyone is safe. Parents are the members and hold all usernames and passwords. When they register, they will be taken through a proper application process to be considered. We will also require their credit card. Our staff will be moderating all of the activities and as well, parents will have transcripts from every squag session – all of their activities will be accessible right from their dashboard.

Social Media: You may follow Sara Winter's work at Squag™ at the following social media areas:

Other Articles: Here are some other articles on Sarah Winter and Squag™:

Writer: Sarah Winter writes for the following sites and publications:

Advice to Parents: Sara Winter gave this advice on how aunts or uncles of children with autism can help parents and families with their special needs.

My advice is to do whatever you can to be a part of that child’s daily life. Do not wait to be told what to do or asked for help. Jump in and be useful. Facilitate nights out for the parents whose child has just been diagnosed. Babysit. Do dishes. Figure out what interests the child has and educate yourself. Find frameworks where you’re confident (for some it’s cooking, for others it’s hockey cards) and have that be the activity that you and your loved one go back to again and again. Our whole family is better for knowing and loving my nephew; he makes us all better every day.

Special thanks to Sara Winter for the devotion she has to her nephew with autism and for being the founder of Squag™. We expect to hear great things in the future about how Squag helps young people with autism growing socially in a safe environment.

Related Posts: If you like this post, you may enjoy these others on people who founded other autism social networking sites. Like Squag each fulfills a unique niche'.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Photo: The photo in this post is used with permission of Sara Winter.

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Victoria Boland

Autism Light #160 is Victoria Boland.

Victoria Boland with her partner Andrew Rudd

Victoria Boland is from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. She has lived in both Canada and Australia. In 2002, Victoria and her mother Viga Boland wrote the Autism Song, Don't Give Up on Me as an autism awareness song. Victoria Boland is an Autism Light for the way in which Don't Give Up on Me has brought awareness to autism.

At age 8 Victoria Boland started performing for audiences in her homeland of Australia. At the age of 15 she won two scholarships to Boston's Berklee College of Music. In 1999 Victoria Boland performed at a Shania Twain concert and in 2000, she produced her first music CD called All Woman Girl. Victoria Boland sings pop rock and alternative music. She also performed at Queen Elizabeth's Golden Jubilee in 2002. Additional information about her honors and experiences in music are at this link.

Although written in 2002, it took 3 years to raise funds to record Don't Give Up on Me (the Autism Song). It was recorded in 2005 and was officially released on April 30, 2006 for the Canadian National Autism Foundation. The story of how the song was commissioned is at this link. The following is the original video presentation of Victoria and Viga Boland's song Don't Give Up on Me.

The following is a live performance of Victoria Boland singing Don't Give Up on Me.

The chorus to the song says, "You're the light in my dark, the current in my stream. my sun when it's raining and drowning all my dreams. Without you, I can't make it ... so don't give up on me. There's a whole lot of love inside the person you can't see (Source for Lyrics).

Websites: The following websites feature Victoria Boland's career.

Social Media: You can follow Victoria Boland and her partner Andrew Rudd on the following social media areas:

Special thanks to Victoria Boland for raising awareness for autism in Canada through her music. It is an inspiration to see such a talented musician devote efforts to an autism song.