In the words of Mike Kellum, father of Will, 6, who has autism
We grieved when we learned Will was autistic. We thought we could find the key to unlock the door, and he’d walk right through, but it’s never that easy. Finally, you put on your work gloves and you go to work.
Will looks like any 6- to 7-year-old child, but he acts like a 3-year-old in some cases. He likes to be carried, but 60 pounds on your hip is tough.
When Will is upset he can be tough to handle, but when he laughs it just warms you inside.
With Will we have a saying: If it’s good once, it’s good a thousand times. When he finds a video he likes, you better like it, too, because you’re going to watch it a lot.
I really have high hopes that he’ll be able to attend college one day. He may not live away from home, but I have confidence that he’ll be able to handle the scholastic workload.
It’s taken a village to get Will where he is. Everybody in my family works to understand his needs.
People have autism their whole lives. It doesn’t go away. It’s just who they are.
Will has grown to communicate better. Instead of blowing a gasket, he’ll suggest something more fun like, “Go swimming? Go swimming?”
He is enamored with crunchy things, like Cheez-Its and Pringles. He has been attracted to lasagna recently, which is totally uncharacteristic because of its texture.
Eighty percent of couples who have autistic children end up getting divorced. Ironically, since our divorce, Debra and I have been able to work more as a team.
Autism is a riddle. Thankfully, we have organizations like OMRF to raise awareness and find answers to that riddle.
