Jason Hague

Autism Light #458 is Jason Hague.

Jason Hague is an autism father, husband, Christian pastor, storyteller, and writer. Jason and his wife Sara have five children, including a 12 year old son Jackson who has autism. Jason is an Associate Pastor at Christ's Church, an independent, non-denominational Christian church in Junction City, Oregon. Jason Hague is an Autism Light for raising autism awareness through his personal sharing of his life online from the honest heart of an autism father.

The following is a poem Jason wrote for his son Jackson which he recites in this video on his YouTube Channel. The version of this video on Facebook went viral and has received 3 million views and counting.


Blogger: One of the best ways to get to know Jason Hague and his life as an autism father in an up close way is to read through his blog posts located at www.jasonhague.com. He wrote a special post on February 6, 2018, called "A Letter to My Autistic Son on His 12th Birthday".  The blog also has letters Jason wrote to Jackson at his various birthdays over the years when he was a growing child.

Jason Hague's blog reveals his emotions as a father that captures the feelings that many autism fathers experience like in this paragraph:

"I often feel the old tug of despair on my sleeve, and the temptation to let it wash over me like it use to: Jack's anguish; his future; our lack of connection. It still gets the best of me from time to time. But on this occasion, the sadness didn't win. It couldn't win. Not after what happened the day before." [Jason Hague, "Let this Carry You", April 26, 2017]

Author: Jason Hague has written a book that will be available in October 2018, about his journey as an autism father for the last five years. It is called Aching Joy: Following God Through the Land of Unanswered Prayer. The subtitle underscores how important faith is in Jason's life, especially in coping with autism.

Social Media: For more information on Jason Hague, follow him at these social media channels.

• Facebook Page for Jason Hague
• Twitter @haguejason
• YouTube Channel for Jason Hague

Special thanks to Jason Hague for being an Autism Light. His storytelling and sharing about autism from the perspective of a father and Christian is a valuable contribution to the autism community. It takes these diverse stories in society to provide living resources to help our world understand more about autism and learn to accept the individuals living with it. We wish Jason Hague all the best in his journey as an autism father and look forward to reading about his blessed family in his blog and writings in the months and years to come.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

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.

Matthew and Courtney Oakes

Autism Lights #451 are Matthew and Courtney Oakes. 

Matthew (Matt) and Courtney Oakes are the parents of two children: Molly and Liam. Their 6 year old son Liam has autism. Matthew and Courtney Oakes are Autism Lights for their efforts to raise awareness of autism family life as parents, bloggers, and members of their community. Their blog is called 808 [the adventures].

Matthew Oakes: Matthew Oakes is an associate professor at Rock Valley College in Rockford, Illinois. In 2015, Matthew Oakes earned his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Rhetoric and Composition from the University of Illinois at Chicago (Source: Matt Oakes' LinkedIn Page).

Courtney Oakes: Courtney Oakes serves as the Parents Talk Autism Manager for Easter Seals of Metropolitan Chicago and is a Medical Advocate for Rockford Sexual Assault Counseling, Inc. (Source: Courtney Oakes' LinkedIn Page).

The following is a recent Twitter message from Courtney Oakes introducing an inspiring blog post.

Nothing is wasted. https://t.co/IMnu4SdK0G pic.twitter.com/dG0TGpjX80

— courtneyoakes (@courtoakes) July 18, 2016

The Fatherhood Project: The following video highlights Matt Oakes and his life as an autism father and was produced in 2014 as part of The Fatherhood Project. The Fatherhood Project was produced by Corbyn Tyson and was part of the SoulPancacke Youtube series about what it means to be a father.

Bloggers: Matthew and Courtney Oakes have a Word Press blog called 808 [the adventures]. Matthew Oakes wrote a guest blog for Autism Speaks called 5 Things Every Autism Dad Should Know.

Social Media: You can follow Matt and Courtney Oakes at the following social media areas.

• LinkedIn
• LinkedIn Page for Matt Oakes.
• LinkedIn Page for Courtney Oakes.
• Twitter
• Twitter handle for Matt Oakes is @mattoakes.
• Twitter handle for Courtney Oakes is @courtoakes.

Special thanks to Matthew (Matt) and Courtney Oakes for being Autism Lights both in their vocations in Rockford, Illinois and to the larger autism community, as they tell their story as autism parents in a blog and video. The autism community, and especially autism parents, are encouraged as the Oakes' family shine their light for autism.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

David Kot

Autism Light #446 is David Kot.

David Kot is a comic book script writer who founded Face Value Comics, a non-profit which raises autism awareness and featured the world's first comic book hero with autism. David lives in York, Pennsylvania with his wife Angie and four children. In addition to his own clinical diagnosis as an adult with Asperger's, his young step-daughter also has autism. David Kot is an Autism Light for his influential efforts to raise autism awareness through his comic book enterprise and as a self-advocate.

The following is a video where David Kot explains how Face Value Comics is intentional about raising autism awareness.

Face Value Comics: David Kot and Angela Kot created Face Value Comics, which was legally incorporated as a non-profit organization in 2011 and is presently a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization. According to their website, "Autism at Face Value practises 'comic awareness' and employs the use of comic books and educational toys to publicly demystify Autism Spectrum Disorders (Autism at Face Value - About Us)."

Some of the accomplishments of Face Value Comics include:

• Introducing the character "Michael" who is the first comic book super hero with autism.
• Having a third party medical journal review their work for their therapeutic value to children.
• Advising the Dover Area School District on new special needs curriculum based on our use of facial feature recognition helps us maintain our non-profit status.

David Kot says,

"Comic book author and pop-icon Stan Lee wrote Spiderman when he was 40 years old. I debuted Face Value Comics #1 a year earlier than my role-model. Since this time, we have been on the nation’s largest news network, reviewed in a medical journal, and outsold some popular titles. Our comic has been nominated and won two international awards for Children’s Literature (Ireland, Canada) and enshrined in the National History of Disability History in New York. We have international print and distribution for our comics. Additionally, we hold the copyright on our work, and are proud to give kids heroes like themselves. In the future, we have many great plans."

His plans for Face Value Comics in the future include:

• Developing public school special needs curriculum with the Dover Area School District for a net surplus, insulated against legislative budget cuts, and without levying a single dime to the typical taxpayer;
• Sensory-friendly action figures of our heroes, with flexible pieces (i.e. silk cape or wool cape), designed to calm children who play while they play;
• Printing comic books with 3D features, like raised facial expressions to literally feel emotions, which also opens comic books to the low/no-vision community;
• Visiting the U.S. Congressional Autism Caucus by (Mike Doyle’s) invitation;
• Continued issues of comics, including special guest artists and authors;
• Advocating and teaching young people and adults about living with autism; and
• Finishing my doctoral research as my health and time allows.

Copyright 2016 - Face Value Comics

Author: To date David Kot has published three comic books labeled Face Value Comics #1, #2, and #3. Face Value Comics #4 is in the production phase.

Ordering Information: You can order print copies of comics by Autism Face Value at their page on Indyplanet. Digital copies, including a pay-what-you-want price option on Issue #1, are available at Drive Thru Comics.

Education: David Kot has the following educational background.

David Kot

• In 1997 he complicated his undergraduate bachelor of science degrees earning a double major in political science and sociology at the University of Pittsburgh - Johnstown. 

• Since 2006 he has been studying at Capella University. He has earned a Master of Science in Human Services (Psychology) and did his graduate research in Self-funding community clinics to include self-injurious clients, in respect to billing, coding, and clinical interventions. 

• David Kot is expected to earn his Doctor of Philosophy, Psychology in 2016 from Capella University. His PhD research focus has been Autism and multicultural, nonverbal communication strategies that promote compassion and empathy. 

Blogger: David Kot writes a blog as part of his advocacy on his website. The following two articles are representative of some of the content.

• Our Code of Ethics in Family Friendly Content
• Fiscally-Conservative Self-Funding Public Education Reform for Special Needs' Students

#WeAut2Vote Campaign: David Kot has been working hard to advocate for making voting accessible to people with autism in the Winter and Spring of 2016. He has solicited the support of ALL Pennsylvania senators and support is growing throughout the United States. His advocacy includes helping individuals with autism to:

1. Register to Vote
2. Identify their Local Polling Place
3. Use Absentee Ballots When Their Disability Prevents Typical Voting Inclusion.

The York Dispatch wrote an article on David Kot's efforts to get out the autstic vote (Greg Gross, The York Dispatch, March 28, 2016).

Encouragement to those with Asperger's: David Kot offered these words of encouragement to others with Asperger's.

"In a world run by neurotypical people (i.e.: people without autism), some comforting words by George Bernard Shaw and the Kennedy family: 'You see things; and you say, ‘Why?’ But I dream things that never were; and I say, ‘Why not?’' By this, I encourage people living with autism to remember how we brought you a comic book hero with autism, not industry giants like DC or Marvel (Disney) Comics. I am just a guy living in a small town with a dream, limited resources, but with great supports who love and value me as much as any work I have done or may yet do (David Kot)."

David Kot provided this summary of his autism advocacy and his appreciation for people who assist him in shining his light for autism.

"In summary, I hope any other person – with or without autism – may look to what I have done and replicate something similar, for their own advocacy on any number of deeply-concerning social topics that get bypassed by mass media monopolies, and for the benefit of younger readers in the future. One may say that writing a comic book has launched autism advocacy through national news coverage, educational reform based on science with economical responsibility, address of congressional representatives, and review in a legitimate medical journal. Yes- a comic book paved the way. I think about our success as one average guy’s science-fiction story (equally heavy in both parts ‘science’ and ‘fiction’) that makes people believe in fantastic opportunities – in equality - like those events described. I could not have done any of these things without so many long evenings with my wife, Angela, and our artist, Sky Owens. He patiently taught me how to write for comic books, and his thirty years’ experience in the comic book industry shows on the static page. Angela listened to my writings, and offered many great changes from her views as a mother and wife living with autism. She also has a very active imagination! Overall, I am just a man. However, I also have great supports and people who love me. I never thought our comic book would be published in a medical journal before my own doctoral defense. We must never stop believing we deserve good things for ourselves or our children, who need our collective best (David Kot)."

Social Media: You can follow Face Value Comics at the following social media areas.

• Facebook Page of Face Value Comics
• Twitter @FaceValueComics

Media: You can read more about David Kot's autism advocacy in the following media features. 

• Truth Atlas interview with Director Nick Poppy (YouTube)
• Blog by Peter Barnes and the LearnFast Group
• Interview with Hallie Jackson and The NBC Nightly News
• Interview with Dr. Rob Melilo (16:47 minute spot on YouTube)
• Review by Ernst VanBergeijk of the Journal of Autism and Development Delay
• Interview by Nicole D'Andria of The Fuse of Entertainment

Special thanks to David Kot for being an Autism Light through his amazing talent in comic book script. Face Value Comics is an independent company that can offer hope and encouragement to the autism community as well as educate others about this growing group of people in our society. We wish David continued success in his endeavors as a self-advocate and his role as an autism father.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

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The photo of David Kot was used with permission of David Kot. Comic book images are copyright by Autism at Face Value (2016).

Michael Hannon

Autism Light #444 is Dr. Michael Hannon.

"Faith is taking the first step, even when you don't see the whole staircase." 

    (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, The King Center)

When autism parents commence on the journey of raising a child with an autism spectrum disorder, they are put in a position, like Dr. King says, of needing to work and love their child persistently without being able to see all the growth and success their child with autism will experience over time. I believe if Dr. King were living today he would have acknowledged the unique challenges autism families face, and would have been especially engaged with how autism impacts families in the African-American community. King would have been very supportive of research into finding out the influences of autism on diverse family systems and would have been publically grateful for the efforts of the following autism father and researcher who is being honored for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in 2016.

Dr. Michael Hannon is a professor and autism father from Westampton, New Jersey. He and his wife LaChan Hannon have a 13 year-old daughter Nile and an 11 year-old son Avery. Avery has a form of autism. Dr. Michael Hannon is an Autism Light for his research into the potential rewards of fathering a child with autism within diverse communities.

Dr. Michael Hannon serves as the Assistant Professor of Counselor Education at Montclair State University, where his primary responsibility is teaching in the graduate level counseling program. He also serves as a mentor to doctoral students in their counseling doctorate program. Dr. Michael Hannon conducts research related to mental health and counseling and his research specialty is the influence of autism on broader family systems and fathers, with a particular emphasis on fathers and families of color. His website shows a summary of his previous work experience.

Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK): Dr. Michael Hannon told Autism Light that MLK influenced his work in this way.

Dr. Martin Luther King devoted his life, and particularly the latter part of his life, to an unapologetic fight for social justice. He was courageous to speak out and fight against racial discrimination, socioeconomic disparities, and war in revolutionary ways. His legacy influences my work in being able to share stories and experiences of an understudied and often misunderstood community: Black fathers of individuals with autism. There is important research about how autism affects family systems that includes highlighting disparities in diagnosis timing and access to care between racial/ethnic groups in the United States. While raising children with autism and other developmental differences can be challenging at times, the challenges might be exacerbated when we study the experiences of diverse parents. These exacerbated challenges may be based, in part, by negative interactions with service providers (e.g., teachers, therapists, etc.) that undermine trust between parents and service providers (Michael Hannon, January 13, 2016).

Education: Dr. Michael Hannon has completed the following educational degree programs.

• Ph.D. (2013), Penn State University, Counselor Education & Supervision
• Ed.S. (2010), Rider University, School Counseling Services
• M.Ed. (2000), University of Delaware
• B.S. (1998), University of Delaware

Author: Dr. Michael Hannon has been the author or co-author of over 25 presentations, book chapters, and/or articles on the area of his expertise in counseling, mental health, and autism families.

• Michael Hannon's Ph.D. dissertation was Just Love Him and Everything Else Will Fall Into Place: An Analysis of Narratives of African-American Fathers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (read or download the paper from an online library collection at the link provided). This became the first empirical study to capture and communicate the narratives of African-American fathers of children with ASDs specifically for counselors and counselor educators.
• Another practical research paper by Dr. Hannon is online called Supporting Siblings of Children with Disabilities in the School Setting: Implications and Considerations for School Counselors.

Highlights of Research Findings: Some recurring messages that Dr. Michael Hannon has heard from fathers in his research include:

• The most rewarding aspect of fathering individuals with autism is seeing their children successful.  
• There is an orientation and adjustment process that fathers experience as they learn about their children’s autism diagnosis and possibly have to adjust their relationship expectations with their children with autism.  
• Fathers seem to appreciate connecting with resembling fathers and families as they navigate fathering an individual with autism. 
• Fathers are paying close attention to their different forms of capital (Dr. Michael Hannon, January 13, 2016)

Certifications: Dr. Michael Hannon is a National Certified Counselor (NCC) and a Licensed Associate Counselor (LAC) in New Jersey.

Awards: Dr. Michael Hannon received the Presidential Award by the Willingboro, New Jersey and Vicinity Branch of the NAACP in November 2015.
  
Conference Speaker: Dr. Michael Hannon provided the keynote at the 3rd Annual Conference for New Jersey Fathers of Children with Special Needs in October of 2015. Below is a brief excerpt of his presentation. More information on past conferences he presented at are listed on his blog.

Great Expectations Teaching & Advocacy Center for Childhood Disabilities, Inc. (GETAC): Michael and LaChan Hannnon founded GETAC on April 19, 2007 to offer advocacy, educational, and consultative services for parents raising children with developmental disabilities. Michael's wife, LaChan Hannon, serves as the Executive Director and the work of this non-profit is dear and near to them.

The following is a video of Google Hangout where Dr. Michael Hannon was on an online panel called Autism Brainstorm: Guy Talk that Dr. Robert Naseef did in March 2015 as part of a feature on an African-American perspective on raising children with autism. A second part of this series was taped in April 2015.

Advice to Autism Fathers: Dr. Michael Hannon shared this advice to autism fathers with Autism Light. 

"Fathers are important members of the family. When families have experiences that require something new or unexpected from them, it can be a source of both stress and enrichment. As they navigate this experience, I encourage fathers of children with autism to:

• Learn (more) about themselves so they can engage with their families in healthy and honest ways. Discover (or rediscover) interests, hobbies, stress relief activities, and ways to support personal growth and development.
• Learn about their children (with or without autism) so they can find connection points. Fathers may find they share interests, attitudes, dispositions with their children, which is awesome. They also may discover something their children enjoy that eventually becomes a mutual interest or something in which they entirely support their children.
• Learn about autism by talking to trustworthy people who help build a sense of community. These can be other dads, romantic/marital partners, specialists and therapists, school personnel, and/or a faith community (if applicable). (Michael Hannon, January 13, 2016)."

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"Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?'".

(Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,The King Center)

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Others Supporting Autism Families: Dr. Michael Hannon provided this insight to Autism Light on supporting fathers in diverse communities.

I appreciate the ongoing advocacy for individuals with autism by individuals with autism, their families, and concerned community members and groups. One way we can all continue to help families affected by autism is being courageous in helping eliminate the disparities in diagnosis, diagnosis timing, and access to care for families of different racial/ethnic groups. 

Another way to help is to continue balancing the autism narrative. All families experience stress, and raising an individual with autism can be stressful at times, and in different ways than raising an individual who does not have autism. However, the stress/coping narrative is not the only autism story. It’s great to be able to read, hear, and talk to those living with and/or affected by autism when they share their success and reward stories (Dr. Michael Hannon, January 13, 2016).

People-First Language: Dr. Hannon has a specific way in which he speaks about people with autism that affirms their dignity and that they are more than their autism diagnosis. He said this to Autism Light:

One last suggestion for all of us is to affirm the humanity of individuals with autism, by using people-first language. Unless I’m corrected, I try to address people with autism with that moniker: people WITH autism. I get concerned when we label a community by just one identifier, especially when that identifier has been constructed as something negative (e.g., autistic, diabetic, schizophrenic, etc.). Those identifiers can be sources of pride for the individuals living with such conditions and contribute to our diverse communities; however, I err on the side of caution and try to use people-first language in my interactions and recommend others do the same unless told otherwise (Dr. Michael Hannon, January 13, 2016).

Follow Michael Hannon on Social Media: 

• Facebook Page of Michael Hannon
• LinkedIn Profile of Michael Hannon
• Twitter @MDHannon

Special thanks to Dr. Michael Hannon for being an Autism Light and fighting the good fight as an autism father, researcher, and counselor. His work is a benefit to the autism community and he is an appropriate representative of someone who has a passion to shape the world for the better like the great Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

This post is our 5th annual feature to honor someone who is an Autism Light in the spirit of Martin Luther King, Jr. Past honorees of Autism Light on Martin Luther King, Jr. day include:

2015

Areva Martin (Autism Mother)

2014

Elijah Winfrey (Autism Uncle)

2013

Joshua Bennett (Autism Brother)

2012

 King Richard (Person with Autism). 

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. The photo of Michael Hannon is used with permission of Michael Hannon.

Rob Zink

Autism Light #440 is Rob Zink. 

Rob Zink is 45 years old and has served as a Police Officer for 17 years in the St. Paul (Minnesota) Police Department. His dedication to use his role as a police officer to help the autism community has earned him the nickname "Autism Cop". Rob Zink is also an Autism Father. Two of his three sons have autism. Rob Zink is an Autism Light for how he is making a difference in the autism community in St. Paul, Minnesota by fostering effective relationships and appropriate police responses to interactions with individuals with autism.

Autism Father: Rob Zink's 10 year old and 12 year old sons both have autism. Rob Zink told a parent at a community forum in December 2015 that, "This is very personal to me. Now I'm getting teary-eyed, but I never want to see an instance like what happened on the MTC happen to my sons. I give it my heart and I give it my promises as best as we can. We're not perfect, we're all going to make mistakes (City Pages, Rob Zink, St. Paul's 'autism cop' pushes an unconventional approach to policing, Susan Du, December 15, 2015)."

The following is a video of news story on Rob Zink's role in St. Paul as the Autism Cop.





CARE Project: Rob Zink created Cop Autism Response Education (CARE) Project.

CARE Project is part of a groundbreaking effort to ensure that police calls involving people with autism end safely. His first priority has been getting to know St. Paul families with autistic children and explaining how police respond to domestic violence calls - a not uncommon scenario involving those with an autism spectrum disorder. His second is helping police find quieter and gentler ways to defuse those calls (StarTribune, A St. Paul Police Officer is Leading Efforts to Ensure that Encounters with Autistic People End Safely, July 24, 2015). 

Cmdr. John Bandemer, who is the head of the Western District police command where Rob Zink serves said, "We have been seeing more calls relating to kids on the spectrum and Rob has kind of become our point person. We are grateful that Rob has an interest in this from his point of view as a father. That and his work with families can kind of close the circle for understanding (StarTribune, A St. Paul Police Officer is Leading Efforts to Ensure that Encounters with Autistic People End Safely, July 24, 2015)."

You can read stories of success within the CARE Project at the following online article: (StarTribune, A St. Paul Police Officer is Leading Efforts to Ensure that Encounters with Autistic People End Safely, July 24, 2015)

For more information on the CARE Project in the St. Paul Police Department email: SPPD-Autism@ci.stpaul.mn.us.

Special thanks to Rob Zink for being an Autism Light. We hope that programs like his CARE (Cops Autism Response Education) will be adopted in every corner of the world. Rob Zink's success in St. Paul is a shining light to help that happen.

If you enjoyed this article you may wish to read other posts at Autism Light with the Label of Police Officer.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

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.

• Neurodiversity Cultists Take Note: My Son Is A Joy; His Autism Is A DISORDER (November 16, 2013)
• An Enhanced Group Home System and Center is Needed to Fill the Gaping Gap in New Brunswick’s Autism Service Model (November 30, 2010)

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.

• Facebook Page for Harold Doherty
• Google + Page for Harold Doherty
• Twitter @AutismRealityNB

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.

Chad Kleis

Autism Light #413 is Chad Kleis. 

Hudson, Chad, Amy, Hunter

Special Father's Day Honoree.

Chad Kleis is 40 years old and is an Autism Father from McKinney, Texas. Chad and his wife Amy have a 9 year old son named Hunter and a 7 year old son named Hudson. His son Hunter has autism. Chad Kleis is the Founder and Director of Hunters Autism Specials. Chad Kleis is an ideal Autism Light for this Father's Day, because of how he raises awareness for autism through Hunters Autism Specials, and because he loves his son so much that he orchestrated on social media a fantastic birthday present for his son Hunter, helping him receive almost 10,000 birthday cards from around the world when he turned 9 on March 15, 2015.

In March of 2015, Chad asked his 400 friends on Facebook to help him wish Hunter a Happy Birthday by sending him cards, since while Hunter is nonverbal he enjoys reading. The message went viral and was shared thousands of times. Hunter received almost 10,000 cards from all over the world, including places as far away as Ireland, the Netherlands, and Hawaii (Dad's Birthday Request for His Son With Autism Goes Viral, WFAA, March 5, 2015).

The story of Hunter receiving surprise birthday cards from around the world was reported on by ABC, CBS, Yahoo, Dallas Morning News, KISS FM, and the New York Daily News. Here is the news story done by ABC News.

Chad Kleis shared his love for his son Hunter in the following hope. "The life ahead of him is what scares me. I don't care if he never talks. I wish he did, but I just want to make sure he's happy (Dad's Birthday Request for His Son With Autism Goes Viral, WFAA, March 5, 2015)."

The Autism Flag by Hunters Autism Specials

Hunters Autism Specials: Chad Kleis is the Founder and Director of Hunters Autism Specials. The goal of Hunters Autism Specials is to provide "unique products/services for families and businesses in the efforts of becoming more unified society under the Autism umbrella (Hunters Autism Specials Website)." The business offers reviews and resources on autism friendly services and information on potential discounts.  In addition to the services, they designed and offer the full size “U.S.Autism Flag” that you see pictured to the right for  purchase.

Contact and Social Media: The best way to contact Chad Kleis is at the Contact Us secton of the Hunters Autism Specials Website  or on the Hunters Autism Specials Facebook Page. They would really appreciate your social media support by "liking" their Facebook Page. You can also follow them on Twitter @HASpecials.

Hobbies: Chad Kleis is originally from Minnesota and cheers on the Minnesota Vikings from Texas. He enjoys being with his family, watching movies, swimming, and jumping on the trampoline.

Encouragement to other Autism Fathers: Chad Kleis wrote the following perspective in an email to Autism Light on June 19, 2015.

Everything in this world happens for a reason, we might not know or understand why NOW... But one day, it will all make sense (Chad Kleis).

Chad also shared this perspective on his son Hunter, "I try to help people understand how Hunter is.The best way to explain it is; Hunter is the CEO of his world, and my wife and I are on the board of directors. We can ONLY make recommendations to the CEO, it will be up to Hunter if he wants to accept or reject those recommendations. We won't force anything on Hunter, that includes people. So, allow him to get to know you at his pace, and you will have a much better chance of being accepted and joining the board..."

Hunter: Hunter is very blessed to have a caring father and mother on his Board of Directors. His parents have found that ABA and Speech therapy have worked the best with him. They are considering trying Music Therapy too. Hunter has previously been through Horse therapy, but he lost interests in that.

Future Plans: Chad Kleis is working on a program which will connect families with autism to other families that want to connect, and provide OUTSIDE love and affection (Even if it's from a distance) so that others might experience something similar to what Hunter did when he received those thousands of Birthday cards.

Chad is also working on getting Hunters Autism Specials from places all over the world. In addition, he would like to long term establish a self-funded insurance program to cover ALL related needs regarding Autism services in order to reduce the stress, hassle, and red tape that autism families frequently experience related to relationships with insurance companies.

We wish Chad Kleis and all autism fathers a very Happy Father's Day. May Chad's work continue to inspire his family and the autism community around the world to grow and live a more fuller life.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Photos: The photos in this post were used with permission of Chad Kleis.

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.

Damian Sharbowski

Autism Light #403 is Damian Sharbowski.

Damian Sharbowski is an autism father from the Metro Detroit, Michigan area. Damian lives in Troy, Michigan he has a business in nearby Sterling Heights. He is an auto mechanic and started Damian's Auto Service to help his son who has autism. Damian Sharbowski is an Autism Light because of his dedication as an autism father and for his work to raise funds for a groundbreaking Play-Place designed specifically for children with autism in Northern Detroit.

Damian's Auto Service: In describing his auto repair shop, Damian Sharbowski shares that he built his business in 2014 so his son who has autism would always have a place to work. Damian's Auto Service is located at 6200 15 Mile Rd. (2 Buildings East of Mound) in Sterling Heights, Michigan. For more information call (586) 698-2175, Email: damiansauto@sbcglobal.net, or visit their website at damiansauto.net.

Damian Sharbowski said, "I don't have a business degree, I am just a mechanic. But I run a business as the old adage as a spit in a handshake and that should be your word (As quoted in MyFoxDetroit.com, May 21, 2015)."

Damian also finds time to plow snow in the Winter in Michigan. He has two sons and he coaches the basketball team of his son who does not have autism.

The following is a news story on Damian Sharbowski being named one of Amy's Angels for My Fox Detroit.

Fox 2 News Headlines

Play-Place for Autistic Children: Damian Sharbowski has been working with the Northern Detroit Business Development Group in efforts to raise $42,000 to build Autistic Play Place. The facility will be located near Mound and 18 Mile Roads in Sterling Heights, Michigan. It is a 501 (c)3 organization and plans are for it to open August 1, 2015.

Damian Sharbowski described to Amy Andrews about this Play-Place saying, "This will be the first place in the United States and the world that is going to cater to autistic and handicapped children. They're going to have a lego room, an iPad room, there's going to be a calming center, a haircut hut (MyFoxDetroit.com, May 21, 2015)."

Busch Hero: In 2014 Damian Sharbowski was named a Busch Hero in recognition of the hardwork he does to make a difference in his hometown.

Social Media: You can follow Damian Sharbowski and his work at the following social media areas.

• Damian's Auto Service Facebook Page
• Autistic Play Place Facebook Page
• YouTube Channel for Damian's Auto Service

Special thanks to Damian Sharbowski for being an Autism Light. Damian is an example of the difference hardworking fathers can make in the autism community.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.