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