Stories of Hope

my vision

my name is Leen
they gave me the diagnosis autism when i was 10
before that my life was chaotic
i had buly's
but after the diagnosis my life was better
they send me to a school with peopel like me
and there i met many friend
and the theachers all did know abaut autism
there i met my boyfriend and my best friend
and i talked to special people and they changed my life
i was hapier
and now that i 'm 16 i know much more stuff
and i 'm happy when people wants to know more abaut autism

i don't know how i end a storry

p.s.: sorry for my bad english

Leen
dendermonde, Belgium

Blessed

My son Jeffrey is such a blessing. He loves his story time with mommy. He makes me feel special every day. I had to wait almost 4 years to hear him say mommy, but now he says it all the time and I love it. God has bless me with a very special child that anyone around him falls in love with him.

Jeffrey was diagnosed with autism at the age of 3. He didn't say any words at all, but since then I've been working very hard with him every day. Also his therapies, school, reading about 10 bed stories every night had help a lot for his progress.

As a single parent I thought I was not going to be able to do this. They were many days that I woke up and went to bed crying because I didn't know if i was going to be able to help my child on my own, but God has help me through my journey. Now my son is saying a few words, and even if I work full time, the few hours that we spent together I make sure he says a lot of words :) Single parents can do this. I just want to thank the Autism Awareness because I've leaned a lot from other parents that are going thru the same situation. I really think hearing all the stories from others parents has help me a lot and give me a lot of good ideas. No body says it was going to be easy, Autism is hard to understand, but not impossible. I can only thank my god for such a special child and I hope and pray I can be the mom he deserves to have.

Anonymous
ventura, CA

Watch me follow my DREAMS!!

My name is William A. Sanchez. Was born of Christmas Day 2009. I was diagnosed with autism at 18 months of age. My mother had to stop working a few months ago for me to continue getting my therapies. I get occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy and soon to have ABA at home.

I recently started attending school but my first day of school was not easy. I didn't know how to make friends. The kids saw me different and they began to stay away from me. My mother had to hold me down and keep me quiet just to get through a reading story. At snack time I didn't eat any of the food only a piece of banana. Yea I was hard but I know that with my moms help I will be able to complete anything the teachers ask me.

My father is in the military. He was deployed last year to Japan. I was not aware until I notice he wasn't sleeping in his bed for many days. 7 months went by without a hug from daddy. But now that he's home I hug him every day and I do better in my therapies. I have dreams just like you! Whatever this thing is.. I won't let it get in my way.

P.S.
My parents love me & I love them too!

William A. Sanchez
Compton, CA

my son , my hero

My son Joseph (J.C) is 13 years old, and is severely autistic and is also deaf. Every day is a struggle with him because he is non verbal. I as a parent went through the why my child phase... JC was diagnose on my 25th birthday, he was 3. For ten years I doubted myself and wondered if I really was the best person to care for my own son.. Fortunately my son has learned how to communicate his wants and needs without speaking and without sign language because he has refused to use his signing. As a single parent of a special needs child things are anything but easy... Taking JC into town is literally a nightmare... but, After all this time I have come to realize how lucky I am that he is my son... every achievement is another miracle in my life. My son is the most loving child I have ever met. Most autistic children typically fight being touched, my angel is the opposite.. he wants to be hugged and kissed now as much as he did as a toddler! When I feel down, he senses it and hugs me... he helps me more than I ever thought possible. I no longer doubt my ability because he clearly doesn't doubt it.. He shows people every day that I am doing the best I can and that no matter what I am his favorite person.. I call JC a healer because he heals you from the inside... when or if you need him, he is there. He is my world and I am so proud to be his mom! I pray that other parents out there feel just as blessed as I do with my little man in my life.

EstelleHoskins
Alvin, TX

Our Precious Angel

Our son Andy was Diagnosed With Autism early this year. At the age of 3 years old we already new something was wrong he had First step and has been seen by many doctor's. He is now 6 years old and his Autism is progressing he has many tantrums and prefers to play alone.. He has odd eating habits and is very picky about what he eats.. He's the sweetest boy and I wish Family members would understand he's life. Andy is blessed to have a big Sister April and he's big brother Michael that do anything for him. We are very blessed and thankful to god for our precious angel.. We are still learning how to deal with Autism it's changed our lives Doctor's & Therapy help Andy's school is a blessing and we are very thankful for all their help... We read Your stories on this website and it gives us so much hope and let's us know that everything will be just fine...

Thank you and God bless you.....

Maryann chavez
Anderson, IN

Gracie

My daughter, Gracie was 4 when she was diagnosed with Autism. I didn't know much about it nor have I ever really heard much about it. Once we got the diagnosis I did as much research as I possibly could and learned so much. Sometimes while reading something i would have a moment of ah-ha... I started understanding her and realizing where she was coming from. We started therapy right after we got the answer of what was wrong. She has come such a long way and is my little warrior. She is the most inspiring, happy, caring, bubbly little girl. Once you meet her no one forgets her. We were at dinner once and she said to me "mommy I know I'm not like other kids and it use to make me feel sad, but god made me special and smarter right mommy?" My heart melted. Everyday of my life with Grace is a blessing and she inspires me to be so much more than I ever imagined.

Jess Dawson
Middletown, OH

ministry for children with ASD question

My son was diagnosed with ASD last year at age 3. We attend church every Sunday, and he loves to hear the choir and imitate the lead singer and preacher. i have a question for those who attend--does your church have a ministry for families with children with special needs, particularly ASD? I am looking to start one b/c i know many parents stay home and miss going to services b/c of their child's condition. i am blessed to have family members to help as well as his home therapist who come to services with us at times. but not everyone has that. so, looking to start an angel buddy ministry or the like, where a volunteer is assigned to a child with ASD to help them through the service or Sunday school, children's church, etc. i have run in into obstacles with getting training for those who want to volunteer. any suggestions on training issues, other ministry ideas, or how it works at your church. will not leave my son at home on Sunday mornings, and other parents should not have to. thanks in advance for assistance.

C.J. Adams
Chicago, IL

my Adam

My Adam is 19 yrs old and his is the one person that keeps me on my toes.. My Adam is High Function Autistic But he is very Independent. His favorite things to do is go to the movies, play video games and anything SIFI, He also has a pet snake her name is Aciruca.
I got so many stories to tell but i will share the most recent one. My Adam works part time in a mall food court, his duties are to collect the drity trays and clean them and distrubute the trays back to the food resturtants. Yesterday when My Adam came home from work he had explain that as he was doing one of his trips around the food court collecting the trays that some little girls around the age of four was following him and trying to help him collect the trays. My Adam say "hi" to the little girl and then he ask "Where are your parents". the little girl didn't say anything but wave hi. a few minutes later a lady approach them and called the little girl. My Adam politly ask the lady to show him a picture of the little girl to conform that she was the mom. The lady did show My Adam a picture of the little girl. then she smile and said thank you to My Adam.. My Adam is a very strong minded, smart and AWESOME person!!!

Roxana J Franco
oxnard, CA

How I see my sister

My older sister Victoria (on the right) has Autism. Not so extreme but it's there nonetheless. She has the typical signs like not looking into a person's when they talk to her, talking to herself and escaping into that world which only she knows about in her head. Since i can remember everyone has thought that I am the oldest because my sister doesn't act her age (now she's 21). As I grew older, I saw how my sister grew up and I could always tell how old she was by looking at the way she acted. She acted the same way I acted when i was younger. So it was basically like looking in a mirror. Sometimes I fear that she'll never truly grow up, but then i see her living on her own, going out with her friends and also going on dates. Nowadays she calls me to ask for advice on things that happen in her life and I try to answer as best i can. Thanks to her I want to make a foundation when I am older for autism kids. I want to help them become independent like my sister is. I want to teach them how to cook mainly but teach them other things as well. I want to show parents that just because your child has limits doesn't make them limited. If you teach them everything you can and teach them right, your child will grow up to be an amazing adult and human being. Thanks to my parents, my sister is now independent and is studying photography at an institute here in Puerto Rico. She never ceases to surprise me and I can always say that I'm proud of her.

Alejandra Maisonet
Toa Baja, PR

Hunter

We were blessed with our first, and only child on June 16, 2011, a beautiful baby boy. We first noticed the "global delay" as they called it, around 12 months old. Thanks to an amazing doctor, he was enrolled in Early Intervention. They helped us teach him, and by 18 months he was taking his first steps. Around the age of 24 months was when I first heard the term "Autism Spectrum Disorder." New to parenting, and new to Autism, my husband and I are still trying to see the world through his eyes. Hunter, now 28 months old, is a great teacher, patient and kind. My son is amazing, just stepping into a room and putting a smile on every face in it. He is completely non verbal, but we are trying sign language, and when he needs to, he can get his point across (throwing his cup in the kitchen when he needs a refill!) I am no stranger to the struggles of this diagnosis, he has his share of difficult situations, but I have also seen how beautiful Autism can be. I still hope that one day he will look at me and say "mommy I love you", but until that day comes... I will take a snuggle and a smile to mean the same thing.

angela bloomberg
norwich, NY