There Goes My Hero!! Watch Him Go!

We’ve been living at my sister’s for a couple of weeks now.  We’re all getting used to each other and we haven’t killed each other yet – which frankly, I see as a shining accomplishment!  The best part about staying here, you know besides getting TLC and HBO, is the amount of time that Scotty and Will are spending together.  Even in the last couple weeks, the difference is tangible.  I’m even feeling like Scotty doesn’t loathe me as much for bringing this creature into the mix. 

In a few days, April comes a calling.  Did you know that besides being the month of my birth (and Andre Agassi’s) and a Royal Wedding taking place – it’s Autism Awareness month.  The month is kicked off this Saturday, April 2nd with World Autism Awareness Day.  Buildings and landmarks all over the world including the CN Tower, Niagara Falls, the Empire State Building, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Christ the Redeemer Statue, Sydney Opera House and the New York Stock Exchange, are all being ‘Lit Up Blue’ on Saturday.  We’re venturing to Niagara to take it in.  How incredible is that!!!!  The whole world recognizing that enough is enough.  It’s time to figure this thing out.  It’s time to listen.

Over the next month, I thought I’d take an entry a week or so to introduce you to our life with Scotty and his autism – as Temple Grandin’s mother said, he’s ‘different but not less.’

I wrote a piece about Scotty for employees at Toys”R”Us about why he’s my hero that I thought I’d share with you.  Toy”R”Us have been incredible supporters of Autism Speaks and from now until the end of April, everytime you go to Toys”R”Us or Babies”R”Us, you can buy an Autism Speaks Canada puzzle piece for $1 and show your support.

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Scotty is my hero because:

·         He can play the drums

·         He can look Wiggles videos up by himself on Youtube

·         He can change the song on the car when we’re driving

·         He can put the straw into his juice box all by himself

·         He sleeps in his own room, all night, with Sully from Monsters Inc

·         He can ride a two-wheeler

·         He can shoot hoops

·     He can swim all alone without help from his mom

If my two year-old son, Will, could talk, he would say that these are all the reasons that his cousin Scotty is his hero.  Just like any little boy, he looks at his older cousin with awe.  He longs for nothing more than to see him, play with him and have Scotty acknowledge his presence.  Will doesn’t see Scotty’s autism.  He doesn’t understand the struggles that Scotty faces every single day of his life.  He doesn’t notice the ‘cant’s’ that are associated with Scotty’s autism, he only see the ‘cans’ of what Scotty is able to do.   And he adores him for them. 

It’s hard to articulate why Scotty is my hero.  How can you adequately put into words what he deals with daily and how amazingly he handles it all?  How can you describe the frustration he faces all the time because he isn’t able to communicate exactly how he feels.  Sometimes at night, I’ll lie awake and think about the ‘can’ts’ associated with Scotty’s autism.  I’ll wonder if he’ll have a first kiss, if he’ll have a sleepover, if he’ll ever have a job.

Then I picture his smile – Scotty’s great, big toothy grin that can bring you to a standstill.  And this is why he’s my hero because regardless of what he’s facing, there isn’t a day where that smile isn’t there.  No matter what he’s facing that day, he will always find something to smile about.  Do you?  I’m not sure that I do.

Oh and he plays the drums.   Really, really well.  Here’s the proof!