Mery Daniel and Richardson Daniel

Autism Lights #346 are Mery Daniel and Richardson Daniel.

Mery Daniel and Richardson Daniel live in Boston. Mery is a native of Haiti and is a survivor of the Boston Marathon bombing that took place on April 15, 2013. She sustained significant injuries in the bombing and lost her left leg.  Mery Daniel is an Autism Light because on her road to recovery she hand-cycled beside runners and walkers on October 5, 2013, in a 5K race to raise funds for the Charles River Center, an autism organization that her husband Richardson works at. Richardson Daniel is an Autism Light for his dedication as a worker with adults with autism at the Charles River Center.

Charles River Center: Mery Daniel raced to benefit the Charles River Center in Needham, Massachusetts on October 5, 2013. Richardson Daniel works at the Charles River Center with autistic adults. According to their website, this is the mission of the Charles River Center:

The Charles River Center (formerly Charles River Arc) is a private, nonprofit human service agency in Needham, Massachusetts, providing employment and job training, residential homes, therapeutic day programs, and recreational programs for children and adults with mental retardation and other developmental disabilities.  Founded by a group of parents of children with special needs in 1956, the mission of Charles River has always been to improve the quality of life by helping each individual with a developmental disability achieve his or her highest possible level of independence so that he or she can fully participate, benefit, and become a contributing member of the community (Charles River Center Website, About Us).

The Charles River Center did a press release on Mery Daniel joining them for their 3rd Annual 5K on October 5, 2013.  The 4th Annual 5K Run/Walk for the Charles River Center will be held on September 28, 2014. For more details see www.charlesrivercenterroadrace.com.

Mery Daniel's recovery is an inspiration to many but she told WCVB, ABC's Boston affiliate before the race on October 5, 2013, "Sunday's not going to be about me. It's going to be about autism (ABC News, Boston Amputee Races for Autism, 9/25/2013)."

Here is another video on Mery Daniel's inspirational recovery to live life with a prosthetic leg.



Inspirational amputee Bonnie St. John is helping raise money for Mery Daniel. Mery has many extra expenses associated with the injuries she sustained at the Boston Marathon Bombing. If you would like to help Mery Daniel visit http://merydaniel.com. There is a Go Fund Me page for Mery Daniel started by Mery's cousin.

Special thanks to Mery Daniel and Richardson Daniel for their contributions to the Charles River Center. Many in the autism community are grateful to Mery who helped fundraise for the Charles River Center on her inspirational road of surviving the Boston Marathon Bombing and likewise to Richardson who faithfully works with a passion at the Charles River Center to help those with autism navigate their daily life.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Chris and Ivana LePoer

Autism Lights #237 are Chris and Ivana LePoer.

Today's Autism Lights endured a tragedy that no parent should ever have to face. And their constructive response to their loss will potentially be helpful to the future of autism research. Chris and Ivana LePoer are autism parents from Westborough, Massachusetts. Their 4 year old son Alexie LePoer had autism and tragically died from a pool drowning when he wandered away from his apartment on May 13, 2012--Mother's Day. Chris and Ivana LePoer are Autism Lights because after their son's death they quickly donated his brain to the Autism Research Foundation in time for it to be of use for autism research.

After he was diagnosed with autism and before his death, Alexie's parents were engaged in trying to help find answers to the mystery of autism. Chris LePoer said, "If some stranger came into your house and hurt your child, you'd want to know why. It needs to be understood. It needs to be stopped (Source)."

To help make a difference, Chris and Ivana LePoer enrolled in a research study of autism focused on younger siblings, a project overseen in part by Dr. Margaret Bauman at the Lurie Center for Autism in Lexington. After their son Alexie's untimely death they made the ultimate contribution by donating his brain to the Autism Research Foundation.

Sharon Henderson, a friend of the family said, “The family is dedicated and committed to finding answers to this terrible condition that affects so many of our children (Source)."

The Autism Research Foundation stores brains at the Harvard "Brainbank", formerly called the Harvard Brain Tissue Resource Center. Alexie's four year old brain is the youngest ever received by the Autism Research Foundation for study. Note that Alexie LePoer's brain was not part of the group of brains from the Brainbank that were found to have tragically thawed and become damaged on May 31, 2012 (Source).

When Chris LePoer learned that his son's brain was not harmed in the Brainbank's tragic loss of a group of autism brains he said, "It's kind of a mixed bag. I'm just grateful he'll be able to continue to help in this horrible situation (Source)."

Special thanks to Chris and Ivan LePoer for donating their son's brain for autism research. We mourn the loss of this little boy with autism along with his parents, but are appreciative that they had the unselfishness to allow their son to be part of autism research after his death.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Aaron Shield

Autism Light #204 is Aaron Shield.

Aaron Shield is the Principal Investigator for the Deaf Autism Project at Boston University. In 2010 Aaron Shield earned his Ph.D. in Linguistics from the University of Texas at Austin and he joined the Psychology Department at Boston University in 2011. Aaron Shield is an Autism Light because of the potential that his research on sign language and autism has shown for helping to improve the lives of deaf children on the spectrum.

Hundreds of families in the United States are impacted with the effects of both autism and deafness. While the latest figures are that autism touches 1 in 88 children, the impact on the deaf community is statistically greater. A recent study by Christen Szymanski and colleagues reported that 1 in 59 deaf children in the Gallaudet Research Institute Annual Survey of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children also carry a diagnosis of an autism spectrum disorder (For Source Information See Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, January, 2012).

Autism Light asked Aaron Shield what motivated him to concentrate his research and study on deaf autism. He provided this meaningful explantion to what inspired him.

I was inspired by the fact that there was a total lack of research on these children. I knew that deaf children were receiving autism diagnoses, but no one was studying how these children were learning sign language. There were no diagnostic or screening instruments adapted for signing children. There were no interventions tailored for their specific needs. So it seemed to me that there was a real need for the research. I then met many families, Deaf and hearing parents who were very enthusiastic and encouraging. I realized that they were counting on me.  

From a research point of view, I was fascinated because I think that studying deaf children with autism can teach us about autism in general, because we can literally see the effects of autism in a visual language. It's a different lens through which to view autism, one which can provide us with valuable information about how kids with autism think and process information. 

Aaron Shield says that one of his goals in his research for the Deaf Autism Project is to "help inform the development of strategies for better diagnosis and intervention with deaf children with autism, a population that up until now has received very little scientific attention (Source). The following is a YouTube video where Aaron Shield explains the need and requirements for participation in this research by member of the deaf autism community.


Research Funding:  The Deaf Autism Project research is funded by a three-year grant from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), one of the National Institutes of Health in the United States (Source). The research is being hosted by the ROADD Center (Research on Autism and Developmental Disorders) at Boston University. The goal for sample size of the study is to include 20 deaf children with autism and compare them to a larger group of about 50 deaf children without autism.

Dissertation: Aaron Shield's dissertation was written on The Signing of Deaf Children With Autism. You can read his complete paper online at this link. Aaron Shield summarizes his methodology, hypothesis, and analysis of his dissertation this way.

In my dissertation, I studied a group of 26 deaf children and adolescents who had been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. In particular, I analyzed the way that they formed their signs. I had hypothesized that the autistic deficit in theory of mind -- the ability to understand the mental states of others -- might lead to specific kinds of errors in sign language. I found that some of the younger children -- all under the age of 10 -- had a tendency to reverse the direction of their signs, so it appeared that they were signing "backward". This seems to suggest that some children with autism learn signs differently from typically-developing deaf children, and may require different kinds of language interventions than hearing, speaking children.

Other Resources: Aaron Shield wanted to pass on to members of the Deaf Autism Community the following three resources that may provide community support unique to both deafness and autism.

• Deaf Autism America (DAA) (Associated with American Society for Deaf Children)
• Yahoo Group (deaf-autism-group)
• Autism Research Institute's Resources for the Deaf/HOH/Blind/Visually Impaired with Autism

Special thanks to Aaron Shield for leading this unique and important research related to autism in the deaf community.  If you are eligible to participate in his research your partnership can be very helpful. For more information on the Deaf Autism Project contact Aaron Shield at aaronshield@gmail.com. You may also view his profile page at the ROADD Center at http://www.bu.edu/deafautism/aaronshield/.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Photo: The photo in this post is used with permission of Aaron Shield.

Charles Colson

Autism Light #186 is Charles Colson.

Charles "Chuck" Colson was born on October 16, 1931, in Boston, Massachusetts. He died on April 21, 2012, from complications of a brain hemorrhage. Some people have heard of him as a Special Counsel from 1969-1973 for U.S. President Richard Nixon. Others were introduced to Colson for his role the last 36 years as a leader and prolific author in evangelical Christianity and the founder of the organization Prison Fellowship. But not everyone may know that Charles Colson, the towering figure that he was, was brought to his knees in order to communicate with his now 20 year old grandson Max who has autism.

It was with vigor and enthusiasm that Charles Colson approached being a grandparent of a child with autism for the last years of his life. Colson has helped the autism community by talking publicly about how his faith was impacted by having a grandson with autism, especially as he witnessed the love of his daughter Emily raising Max as a single parent. Charles Colson is being named an Autism Light for the contributions he has made to autism awareness as a grandfather and as a leader in the faith-based community. Charles Colson was placed on the Autism Light Memorial Roll and this post updated, as he passed away the same day he was named an Autism Light.

Christianity: Charles Colson converted to Christianity in 1973. He served his prison sentence for his role in Watergate, and out of that experience he founded the organization Prison Fellowship in 1976. Prison Fellowship is the world's largest organization for prisoners in over 100 countries. Much of his writings are available for reading at the Colson Center website.

Awards: Charles Colson has received numerous awards. Two awards Colson received were the Others Award from The Salvation Army in 1990 and the Presidential Citizens Medal by President George W. Bush in 2008.

Author: Chuck Colson is a prolific author or co-author of over a dozen books about his life, faith and views of society from 1976 to 2011. His first book Born Again was published in 1976 and his most recent The Sky is Not Falling was published in 2011. The book Dancing with Max that he co-wrote with his daughter Emily is of a personal nature like Born Again. You can read more about Charles Colson's books and awards at his Wikipedia page.

Biographer Jonathan Aitken in his book Charles Colson: A Life Redeemed said about Colson:

With infinite patience and constant attention he has built a close and good relationship with his autistic grandson, Max. This private achievement has required more effort and more love than many of Colson's public achivements (Source). 

Jonathan Aitken also concludes that, "Colson communicates well with all his grandchildren, even though he is in some ways closest to Max as both a father figure and a grandfather (Source)."

Dancing With Max: Charles Colson wrote the introduction and epilogue to his daughter Emily Colson's book called Dancing with Max that was published in August, 2010.  Emily Colson raised Max as a single parent, making Charles Colson a father figure as well as grandfather to Max. One of the highlights of Charles Colson's family and ministerial life includes being given the opportunity to baptize his Grandson Max, who made a profession of the Christian faith. The following is Colson's weekly segment called 2 Minute Warning from September, 2010 where he discusses the book Dancing with Max. 

Although Charles Colson is a leader in the Christian world who has wrote dozens of books and spoke to millions of people around the world about his faith, he said that he continues to learn new things about God by witnessing the unselfish love demonstrated by his daughter Emily toward her child with autism. Here are two favorite quotes from Charles Colson directed toward parents of children with special needs.

• "Watching Emily, and other parents of children with special needs, has taught me what it means to love in the biblical sense of the word agape (Source)." 
• "Being the parent of an autistic child, or any child with special needs, requires a level of commitment and dedication that is impossible to understand unless you've been there (Source)." 

Here are some additional online information on Charles Colson's discussion of autism.

• Breakpoint: Charles Colson had a website called Breakpoint with regular features. He has a Breakpoint Article called Autism and Agape: What Max and Emily Taught Me.
• Dr. James Dobson Family Talk: Charles Colson and Emily Colson were on the Family Talk Radio Broadcast discussing their relationship with Max. Their Interview with Dr. James Dobson can be listened to online. 
• Joni and Friends: An inspiring report on Chuck Colson's relationship with his grandson Max can be found on the Joni and Friends episode called "When Disability Hits Home".
• World Over:  The World Over segment from May 19, 2011 features an interview with Charles Colson and Emily Colson about their relationship with Max and the book Dancing with Max.

Social Media: You can interact with Charles Colson, his family, and work on his Facebook page.

Funeral: For updates on services for Charles Colson's check the Official Updates from Prison Fellowship.

Special thanks to Charles Colson for caring about autism and being a wonderful grandfather to Max. Your efforts are an example to the multitude of grandparents of people with autism, especially those that share your Christian faith.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Photos: The photos in this post were used with permission of the administrator of the official Charles Colson Facebook page. 

Bill Cannata

Autism Light #175 is Bill Cannata.

Bill Cannata is a Captain in the Westwood, Massachusetts Fire Department. His son Ted is 21 years old and has autism. When he is not putting out fires, Bill frequently wears the hat as an educator to help first responders be better prepared to rescue people with autism in an emergency. Bill Cannata is an Autism Light for his hard work to use his expertise as a fireman as well as his personal experience as an autism father to impart life-saving training to first responders.

Today Show: On March 1, 2012, Bill Cannata's story and work was featured on the Today Show. A video and transcript of that segment can be found on the MSNBC site at this link. It is also embeded here for you to watch.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Bill Cannata currently serves as a Captain in the Westwood, Massachusetts Fire Department and has over 30 years of experience as a firefighter. He has been an instructor for the Massachusetts Fire Academy for 15 years. Through his experience as an autism father and a firefighter he has a special insight into the extreme reactions that people with autism may have in an emergency. This experience has made him a better firefighter and an educator that has touched thousands of lives of first responders. Bill Cannata told Autism Light about how his son Ted motivates him. He writes, "Ted is my teacher so I need to teach my peers how to work with him during an emergency."

ALEC Program:  ALEC stands for Autism and Law Enforcement Coalition. ALEC has an informative website at www.sncarc.org/ALEC/index.htm.  Bill Cannata was part of a group who helped start ALEC in 2003 and in 2006 he became the Statewide Coordinator. Dennis Debbaudt of Autism Risk Management helped with some inital training for the program.  The following information is how the ALEC website describes their program and purpose.

The ALEC program began in 2003 as a collaborative effort of the South Norfolk County Arc Family Autism Center and the Norfolk County District Attorney's Office. ALEC training helps foster a deeper understanding of Autism Spectrum Disorders among public safety and law enforcement personnel. Training is available for Police Officers, Firefighters, EMTs, Paramedics and Hospital Emergency Room Personnel, using curriculum and videos specific to each group. Presenters are First Responders with direct knowledge of Autism Spectrum Disorders through a family member. Because of this personal knowledge, in addition to their specific professional background, they are able to answer questions on a wide range of possible situations. The goal of ALEC training is to provide additional tools for First Responders to use in assessing the risk of a situation (Source).

ALEC receives funding from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for their important work. Since it's inception over 15,000 First Responders have completed the training program.

Contact: To find out more about ALEC and resources available to first responders contact Bill Cannata by email at BCANNATA@SNCARC.ORG or by phone 781-762-4001, ext. 420.

Conference Presenter: Bill Cannata is scheduled to present at the NFPA Conference and Expo on June 13, 2012 on the subject, "Autism Awareness for Fire and Life Safety Education" (Source). This national conference will beheld in LasVegas, Nevada. He is recommended as a speaker and trainer by Autism Risk and Safety Management.

Fire and Autism: Bill Cannata also is involved with Fire Rescue/Autism Training for some of his private trainings taking place out of his home state. The Fire Rescue/Autism Training website is at http://firerescueautism.com.

Other Articles: Here are some other online articles on Bill Cannata's amazing work.

• Firefighter Teaches How to Rescue People with Autism
• Autism 101: For Firefighter and Emergency Personnel (Written by Bill Cannata)

Social Media: You can follow the work of Bill Cannata at the following social media areas.

• Facebook (ALEC)
• Twitter @FireAutism

Special thanks to Bill Cannata for teaching first responders how to relate to those with autism in an emergency. The world is a safer place for people with autism because of this dedicated work that Bill Cannata performs.

Note: If you enjoyed this post you may wish to read about another Autism Light who was a firefighter. The late Jack Fanning was an autism father who died at the World Trade Center on 9/11. His story is at this link.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism. 

This post went into syndication on Autisable.

Photo: The photo in this post is used with permission of Bill Cannata.

Curt and Shonda Schilling

Autism Lights #167 are Curt and Shonda Schilling.

Curt and Shonda Schilling live in Medfield, Massachusetts and have a son with Aspergers named Grant. They have four children, including Grant. Shonda wrote a book about their challenges of dealing with autism and they bring awareness to autism through publicly speaking about their situation. Curt and Shonda Schilling are Autism Lights because sharing their journey with autism as public figures can encourage many other family's dealing with similar challenges.

Curt Schilling: Curt Schilling is a retired major league baseball player. He won 216 games and had over 3,000 strikeouts in his 20 year career that concluded in 2007. Curt Schilling is remembered for many all star achievements on the field, including his ace pitching in the post season where he helped both the Arizona Diamondbacks and Boston Red Sox win World Series titles. He is especially remembered as the workhorse who pitched the Boston Red Sox to victory over the New York Yankees in the 2004 American League Championship, despite having an ankle injury that led him to pitch with a bloody sock. Curt Schilling's careers stats can be found at Baseball-reference.com. In his retirement Curt Schilling continues to operate his company 38 Studios which he started in 2006. 38 Studios creates entertainment products, including video games, toys, and comics.

Shonda Schilling: Shonda Schilling is a skin cancer survivor and is also very passionate about skin cancer awareness. In 2002 Shonda founded the Shade Foundation of America to provide skin cancer awareness and educate on sun safety .  Shonda Schilling continues to speak publicly about her experiences as an autism parent and to do book signings. Celia Brown a mother of a child with autism said about Shonda Shilling's speaking, "For someone so well-known to come out and share her story is really helpful for all of us (Source)."

The following is a CNN interview in which Curt and Shonda Schilling discuss raising their son Grant who has Asperger's Syndrome.

The Best Kind of Different: The Best Kind of Different was authored by Shonda Schilling with an introduction written by Curt Schilling. It was published in 2010 and was a New York Times Bestseller. The official website for the book is www.thebestkindofdifferent.com. Bob Costas said about the book, "In this moving and insightful book, Shonda Schilling explains how she and her family came to understand and appreciate what makes her son Grant the Best Kind of Different. In the process of telling their personal story, she sheds much needed light on this often misunderstood condition (Source)."  

This ABC News interview features Shonda Schilling sharing about The Best Kind of Different. 

Social Media: You can follow the work of Curt and Shonda Schilling at the following social media.

• Facebook - Curt Schilling.
• Curt Schilling's Blog - 38 Pitches
• Twitter - Shade Foundation
• Twitter - Shonda Schilling

Wikipedia: For more information on Curt and Shonda Schilling visit these Wikipedia pages.

• Curt Schilling
• Shonda Schilling
• 38 Studios

Special thanks to Curt and Shonda Schilling for sharing their story and encouraging other families to not lose hope. They are sincerely Autism Lights.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.


Photo: The photo in this post was used with permission of The Best Kind of Different website.

This post went into syndication on Autisable.

Clara Clairborne Park

Autism Light #161 is Clara Clairborne Park.

Clara Clairbone Park is a mother of a girl with autism named Jessica Park. She was an author and an American English teacher. Clara Clairbone Park was born on August 19, 1923 and died on July 3, 2010 in a nursing home in Williamston, Massachusetts. Her obituary was written by the New York Times. Clara Clairbone Park is being made an Autism Light posthumously, because her writing made a difference for autism awareness during a very critical period of the history of autism. She will also be added to the Autism Light Memorial Roll.

Dr. Fred R. Volkmar, director of the Yale University Child Study Center said of Clara Clairbone Park:

She was one of the first parents who had the courage to share their story at a time when autism was poorly understood. Since she first published her book, wider recognition of autism and early diagnosis have led to new treatments and improved outcomes (Source).

The Siege: Clara Clairborne Park wrote her book called The Siege: The First Eight Years of an Autistic Child in 1967. The book is one of the first books by a parent of a child with autism and chronicles her journey to help her daughter Jessica who has autism to grow socially, emotionally, and intellectually. It is also one of the first books to refute the now debunked Refrigerator Mother theory of autism being caused by detached mothers.

Exiting Nirvana: The sequel to The Siege was Exiting Nirvana: A Daughter's Life with Autism and was published in 2001. The book tells the journey into adulthood of her daughter. Jessica Park has worked for years in the mailroom at Williams College and is also an artist who has her own website.

Education: Clara Clairborne Park graduated from the University of Michigan in 1949 with a Master's degree in English Literature.

English Professor: Clara Clairbone Park was on the faculty of Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts from 1975-1994.

Wikipedia: For more information on Clara Clairbone Park visit her Wikipedia Page.

Other Information: Other information on Clara Clairbone Park is available at these websites:

• Care2 Make a Difference
• Psychology Today Blog
• Out in Left Field Blog

Special thanks to Clara Clairborne Park for her contributions in her life to the cause to autism. May her memory continue to inspire us.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Susan Levine

Autism Light #116 is Susan Levine.  

Levine is from Newburyport, Massachusetts. Besides being the mother of two neurotypical young boys, she is a music therapist and a musician. Susan Levine is an Autism Light because of how she helps children with autism through music therapy and continues to bless autism through her Musicians for a Cause song called So It Goes.

Musician: Susan Levine's biography on YouTube says, "Susan Levine has been many things -- a graduate of Harvard, a waitress, an actress, a mother, and a music therapist -- but she has always been a musician (Source)."

Eric Gerber, Singer-Songwriter from Kerrville, Texas said, "Susan writes compelling songs. She writes with a sense of honesty, humor and playfulness that is just infectious, and sings in a voice that will have you begging for more (Source)."

Susan Levine has published two albums: Scatter (2001) and Atlas (2007). Susan Levine's autism song So It Goes was a single written at the request of Dave Bastien the head of the Musicians for a Cause project of Songs4Autism.org. The lyrics are available at www.m4ac.org/autism/SoItGoes.pdf. Here is a video of Susan Levine's autism awareness song called So It Goes.

Susan Levine spent time listening to a group of parents from the Autism Society of New Hampshire in order to obtain ideas for writing this song. Susan drew upon the perspective of parents and experiences from her work with children with autism in her music therapy to write this song. Susan Levine described her song this way to Autism Light.

I think we all have kids and have these dreams and goals and plans for everything they might be and what their life will be like. We want our kids to succeed, be free of pain, be happy. We dream of this idyllic world for us and them. The reality is, however, that things get hard, "nothing's perfect", and sometimes it's just putting one foot in front of the other. For parents of kids on the spectrum, there are of course the additional challenges. Trying to see things through your child's eyes; trying to gauge what they are thinking, feeling, wanting; wanting desperately to know and to understand. What I loved about parents I met at the autism sessions was how much they appreciated their children, and the way they saw their children's way of thinking/seeing things as amazing and interesting and even funny (Susan Levine).

Music Therapist: Susan Levine is also a music therapist and a developmental specialist. She works at Pentucket Area Early Intervention in West Newbury, Massachusetts. Susan Levine says her organization offers "home-based early intervention services for children birth to 3 and their families in 9 different towns on the North Shore of Massachusetts."  Susan Levine works with children who have a variety of special needs but the majority of her clients have a history with the autism spectrum.

Susan Levine explained music therapy in an email to Autism Light on 12/13/2011 in this way.

Music therapy is extremely effective with many people on the autism spectrum. It seems to be a form of communication and expression that many people on the spectrum intuitively understand....music therapy is a whole-brain/whole sensory/whole person approach to therapy. Neurologically, the different elements of music (rhythm, tempo, pitch, melody) are processed in different locations in the brain. During music play, neurons are constantly activating and building connnections (Susan Levine).

Susan Levine's music therapy style includes involving the parents in sessions with their children. For more information on music therapy, Susan Levine recommends the following website links.

• American Music Therapy Association
• Massachusetts Music Therapy Alliance
• New England Region of American Music Therapy Association

To learn more about Susan Levine visit her website at www.susanjlevine.com. Special thanks to Susan Levine for sharing her wonderful voice through a song that will make a difference for autism awareness. Susan's song is bringing awareness to autism every time it is played.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.


Photo: The photo in this post was used with the permission of Susan Levine.

Gateways: Access to Jewish Education

Autism Light #110 is Gateways: Access to Jewish Education.

Gateways: Access to Jewish Education is an organization located in Boston, Massachusetts.  It was created in 2006 when Etgar L'Noar and The Jewish Special Education Collaborative merged to work together in service to Jewish children with disabilities, including autism. Gateways: Access to Jewish Education is an Autism Light because they are providing important opportunities for Jewish children with autism to learn their faith and traditions. 

It is noteworthy that Gateways was named one of the top 50 most innovative Jewish nonprofits in the United States. In the Fall of 2010 they received a grant from the Slingshot Fund. The following is a musical video students at Gatways submited to JewishBoston.com about why it is great to be Jewish and live in Boston. It won 2nd place. 

Arlene Remz is the Executive Director of Gateways: Access to Jewish Education. According to their website their mission is, "to ensure that Jewish children with a full range of learning styles, abilities and challenges succeed academically, socially, and spiritually to their fullest potential." For more information on Gateways: Access to Jewish Education visit their website at http://jgateways.org/.

The following is the story of a boy named Ethan who was in the Gateways program. This presentation is when Ethan had his Bar-Mitzvah.

Social Media: You can follow Gateways: Access to Jewish Education at the following social media areas.

• Facebook
• Twitter
• YouTube Channel

Special thanks to Gateways: Access to Jewish Education for being a light for Jewish children with autism to work out their faith. Mazel tov!

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Photo: The logo with this post is used with the permission of Gateways: Access to Jewish Education.

Doug and Laurie Flutie

Autism Lights #86 are Doug and Laurie Flutie.


Doug Flutie, Sr. and Laurie Flutie are from Natick, Massachusetts. Doug is a former professional football player in both the United States and Canada. Their son Doug Flutie, Jr. has autism. Doug Flutie, Sr. and Laurie Flutie are Autism Lights because they formed an autism foundation to help make a difference for autism, which is called the Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation.

Football Career: Doug Flutie played for Boston College and won the Heisman Trophy in 1984. Professionally he played in the CFL, USFL, and NFL from 1985-2005. His career stats are at this link .

Honorary Degree:  Doug Flutie, Sr. received the Honorary Doctor of Humanitarian Service for Autism in 2007 from Dickinson College. Here is a video of that ceremony.

Foundation: In 2000, Doug Flutie, Sr. and his wife Laurie formed the Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation in honor of their son who has autism. In forming the foundation, the Fluties wanted to help their son have a legacy that he might not be able to accomplish on his own and to help less fortunate families with the tremendous expenses of autism.  Information on the Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation is available at their website at www.dougflutiejrfoundation.org.  This foundation is making a tremendous impact for autism.

• To date over $11 million dollars has been raised by the Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation.
• A list of 2010 grant recipients from the foundation is available at this link.  
• In 2011 the Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation joined HP and Autism Speaks in sponsoring the Hacking Autism initiative.

Here is a video of Doug Flutie, Sr. discussing his autism foundation in 2010.

Laurie Flutie:  Laurie Flutie is an amazing caregiver.  In addition to being Vice-President and co-founder of the Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation she is the primary caregiver for Doug Flutie, Jr. and she also cares for her mother who lives with the family.

Author: In 1999, Doug Flutie wrote two books that are available through Amazon.com.

1. Flutie
2. Never Say Never (Positively for Kids)

Social Media: You can follow Doug Flutie, Sr. and the Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation on the following social media.

• Twitter (Doug Flutie Verified Account)
• Twitter (Flutie Foundation)
• YouTube (Flutie Foundation)
• Facebook
• Wikipedia Page for Doug Flutie

Special thanks to Doug and Laurie Flutie for being Autism Lights. Your hard work on behalf of autism is certainly helping lighten the load of many families and is a legacy for your son.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Photo: The Photo at the top of this post is used with the permission of Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation and was taken at the 2007 golf outing of Doug and Laurie Flutie and their family.

Boston Red Sox

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Autism Light Classic
Updated on October 31, 2013. 

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Autism Light #73 is the Boston Red Sox.

The Boston Red Sox are a Major League Baseball Team located in Boston, Massachusetts. They were organized in 1901 and were one of 8 charter teams that started Major League Baseball at the turn of the 20th century. The Boston Red Sox have won 8 World Championships to date, including the 2013 World Series. The Boston Red Sox are an Autism Light because of their compassion in lending a helping hand to individuals with autism and their long standing commitment to autism awareness.

The Boston Red Sox have supported autism since 2001, when they held their first fundraiser on behalf of the National Alliance of Autism Research (NAAR). NAAR merged with Autism Speaks in 2005 (Red Sox to Celebrate Autism Awareness Day at Fenway Park, MLB.com).

2013 Light It Up Blue: On April 2, 2013, the facade near Gate A on Yawkey Way at Fenway Park was lit up blue as the Boston Red Sox participated for their 3rd consecutive year in the Autism Speaks Light It Up Blue Initiative (Fenway Lights Up Blue for Autism Awareness, Boston.com). Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox, was one of 7,000 landmarks from around the world to be involved in Autism Speaks' Light It Up Blue campaign.

2013 Autism Awareness Day: On April 28, 2013, the Boston Red Sox hosted Autism Awareness Day at their game against the Houston Astros (Boston Red Sox Host Autism Awarness Day, Autism Speaks). The Boston Red Sox hosted over 900 individuals with autism and family members and caregivers at their Autism Awareness Day. Red Sox fan Brian Ferraro whose son Ryan has autism said at the event:

I've been wanting to come here (to Fenway) with my kids for a while--in fact, I have a younger child, who is a typical child, and it didn't feel right just taking him. But now that we have days like this that are welcoming for the intimidated, I think it's going to allow for more families, more families with autistic kids to attend wonderful games like this. I'm really thrilled to say that I have my two kids here with me for the first time in my life, a lifelong dream of mine (Boston Red Sox Host Autism Awarness Day, Autism Speaks).

Here is Autism Light Gianno Hitsos singing God Bless America at the Boston Red Sox Autism Awareness Game in 2013.


2007 National Anthem: The following event from the Boston Red Sox Disability Awareness Day in the Summer of 2007 epitomizes the organization's inspirational outreach for autism and disabilities. This is a video clip where a man with autism is offered a helping hand in finishing the National Anthem after he gets nervous in the middle of the song.

Two previous Autism Lights with autism were also given the opportunity to sing the United States National Anthem at Fenway Park for the start of a Boston Red Sox game.

• Christopher Duffley (10/9/2011 Autism Light) 
• Listen to Christopher Duffley Sing the National Anthem at Fenway Park (Sept. 4, 2013)
• Gianna Hitsos (9/19/2011 Autism Light) 
• Listen to Gianna Hitsos Sing the National Anthem at Fenway Park (June 29, 2010)

Social Media:  To follow Boston Red Sox on social media visit these pages.

• Facebook Page of Boston Red Sox
• Twitter @RedSox

For more information on the Boston Red Sox visit these links:

• Official MLB Website of Boston Red Sox
• Wikipedia Page of Boston Red Sox

Special thanks to the Boston Red Sox for shining a light on the cause autism through their autism awareness efforts. Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

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This Autism Light post was featured on the Boston Pro Sports Daily on October 22, 2011.

This Autism Light post went into syndication at Autisable.

Jamie Manning

Autism Light #60 is Jamie Manning.

Jamie Manning lives in Boston, Massachusetts and works in the marketing field. He is a father of a child with autism and is also a musician who wrote an album of music focused on autism. Jamie Manning is an Autism Light for sharing his heartfelt music and writing on the theme of autism and parenting.

Jamie Manning has had an interest in music since he was very young and he wrote his first song at age 10. Almost three years after his son was diagnosed with autism, he began to write an album of songs to show how parents struggle with autism.

Album: His album What Remains features exclusively songs that communicate a parent's feelings about dealing with autism. A list of songs on the album accompanied by audio clips is also on his Website. Jamie Manning tells the story behind the album on his Website.  His dedication of the album on his website includes this:

I dedicate What Remains to the parents who are fighting the good fight every day to give their special children a chance in this world. They fight insurance companies that will not pay for critical therapy, school systems that blithely ignore federal laws while providing inadequate services, and a bevy of carpetbaggers who exploit their desperation to find a cure in order to make a fast buck. They are often abandoned by family and friends and judged by those who know nothing of their struggle. They give up their homes, retirement savings, and any other assets to move their children as far as they can into this world. Yet despite all this, they are some of the kindest, most generous people I've known. You will rarely find people as courageous.

Autism Supporter:  Jamie Manning conducts charitable concerts for autism.  In addition, a portion of the sales of his songs is donated to Autism Speaks.

Writer: Jamie Manning was featured in the book, Autism, Heartfelt Thoughts From Fathers.  He wrote a section called "Casualities of War".

Grant Award:  In 2009 Jamie Manning won a Passim Iguana Music Fund Grant. On his Facebook Group he indicated the grant was going to be used to build a home studio so he could finish a second album on autism. To join his Facebook Group go to this link.

For more information on Jamie Manning visit his website at www.jamiemanning.com or www.autismsongs.com.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

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Photo: Photo in this post used with permission of Jamie Manning.

Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts

Autism Light #49 is the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts.

The Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts is an Autism Light because they have demonstrated a commitment and compassion for autism by creating a faith based program for people with autism called A Special Grace. This program is an excellent demonstration of inclusion for those people with autism in Massachusetts who want to participate in religion through the Episcopal Church.

Services: A Special Grace is a religious program for people with autism and it is sponsored by the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts.  The program is hosted currently in the Epiphany Episcopal Church in Walpole, Massachusetts. On the first Sunday of every month at 2:00pm EST they hold a service and offer the Eucharist for those on the Autism spectrum and their families. These services take place at the Epiphany Episcopal Church in Walpole, Massachusetts located at 62 Front Street in Walpole, MA (directions are available at a link on their website).  Some of the features of the service outlined on this page of their website include:

• Sensory Spaces
• Sensory Diet Aids
• Gluten Free Wafers for the Eucharist
• A Parent Guide Available on the Service
• Therapeutic Play

Transition Inclusion: A Special Grace also has a program to help people with autism to be integrated (mainstreamed) into the congregation.

• They train volunteers to assist families with mainstreaming people with autism into the congregation.
• They help adapt some of the materials for the better understanding of people with autism.
• They train clergy on how to minister to the unique needs of people with autism. 

Resources: Clergy involved in A Special Grace are available to offer workshops at the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts Congregational Resource Days (including one coming up October 1, 2011).  Some of the resources are listed on their website.  A Rhythm of Grace also offers a quarterly newsletter on their ministry.  The most recent one is online. To find out more about A Special Grace visit their webiste at www.aspecialgrace.com.

Curriculum: A Special Grace uses a curriculum of the same name available from Church Publishing.  Audrey Scanlan and Linda Snyder are the author of this faith based resource for ministering to people with autism.

Social Media: To follow A Special Grace via social media Like Rhythms of Grace on Facebook.

If you know of other religious groups or clergy that are doing special things for people with autism please let us know and we will consider them for future recognition.  Email: autismlight@gmail.com.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

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This Autism Light post was mentioned in the CANadda Daily on September 26, 2011.
This Autism Light post went into syndication at Autisable.

Gianna Hitsos

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Autism Light Classic
Updated on December 30, 2013.

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Autism Light #43 is Gianna Hitsos.

Gianna Hitsos is an 18 year old from Groton, Massachusetts, who has autism and is a senior at Groton-Dunstable Regional High School. Gianna has a gift for singing and acting. Gianna Hitsos is an Autism Light for her efforts to raise autism awareness through her singing and volunteerism.

Gianna Hitsos said, "My ultimate goal is to become the first autistic actress on Broadway or sing in the Metropolitan Opera. (Lowell Sun Online, Autistic and Achieving. She's Proof, 4/18/2013 )."

College Application Process: Gianna Hitsos is in the process of waiting for responses to her college applications and she as written a two part series on this life experience for Autism Speaks that you can read at these links.

• Autistic and Chasing My College Dream, Part 1
• Autistic and Chasing My College Dream, Part 2

Here is a video of Gianna explaining her goal to raise autism awareness.


Autism Awareness:  Gianna has had the opportunity to speak for autism awareness while in high school.  She has spoke at Autism Speaks meetings in the Boston area and has sung at Walk Now for Autism Speaks in the New England area.

Singer: Because of a special program for autistic students, she was able to take voice lessons at the Boston Conservatory while in high school. Boston's NPR published an article on this program. She has also had the opportunity to sing the National Anthem at Boston's Fenway Park in 2013 (YouTube Video at Fenway Park).

Here is a video of Gianna Hitsos singing "Allerseelen" with piano accompanist David Collins.



Social Media: You can find Gianna Hitsos at the following Social Media.

• Facebook Page of Gianna Hitsos
• Twitter for Gianna Hitsos @BroadwayG95
• Gianna Hitsos' YouTube Channel

Thank you to Gianna Hitsos for being an Autism Light. We expect to continue hearing great things in the future about Gianna Hitsos as she shares her amazing talent with the world. Her musical success as an individual with autism is a treasure to the autism community.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism. 

Photo: Photo in this post used with permission of Gianna Hitsos.

Dr. Albert Cotugno

Autism Light #18 is Dr. Albert Cotugno.

Dr. Albert J. Cotugno is a psychologist with over 30 years experience of providing group and individual psychotherapy services to children with special needs, many of whom have autism. He presently practices in Needham, Massachusetts and is an instructor at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Albert Cotugno is an Autism Light because he is the author of two important books encouraging social competencies for children with autism.

The following is a video about Dr. Albert Cotugno's work with children with autism.

Education: 

• Albert Cotugno earned his Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of California at Berkeley in 1982. 
• He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts in 1972.

Books on Autism:

• In 2009 he wrote the book-- Group Interventions for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
• Then in 2011 he wrote a follow up to that book--:Making Sense of Social Situations: How to Run a Group-Based Intervention Program for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders. Boston.com wrote an online news article on the release of this book.  

More information on these books is available at www.drcotugno.com/book.html.

For more information on Dr. Albert Cotugno's work you can visit his official website at www.drcotugno.com.

Special thanks to Dr. Albert Cotugno for his work in helping children with autism.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.