Thomas Russell

Autism Light #191 is Thomas Russell.  Thomas Russell is from Laurel, Montana. He is a 23 year old artist who has autism. When asked what it is like living with autism, Thomas replied, "It's not that different than living everyday normal life (Source)."  Thomas Russell is an Autism Light for his excellence as an artist with autism.Thomas Russell graduated from Laurell High School. He is the son of Charles and Brenda Russell. He works...

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Kathy Medina

Autism Light #190 is Kathy Medina.Kathy Medina is from Clovis, California. She and her husband Glenn have three children, including a son with autism named Zack. Kathy was a Life Insurance Agent for 15 years with American United Life, and left that position in order to be able to home school her son Zack. She is the author of the book Finding God in Autism and has developed a fantastic website that compliments the book and offers around the...

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Gwen Rhodes

Autism Light #188 is Gwen Rhodes.Gwen Rhodes is the principal at the Gonic School in Rochester, New Hampshire.  On Wednesday, January 25, 2012, a 10 year old student of hers named Andrew Brown had wandered away from the school into the nearby Cocheco River. Andrew Brown also has autism. Gwen Rhodes jumped into the icy Cocheco River to save Andrew Brown. Gwen Rhodes is an Autism Light for having the quick thinking to...

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Ban Ki-Moon

Autism Light #187 is Ban Ki-Moon.  Ban Ki-Moon was born on June 13, 1944 and is from South Korea. Ban Ki-Moon has served as the Secretary-General of the United Nations since 2007. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon is an Autism Light because of his efforts to use his position to lead the United Nations to further awareness of autism around the world through it's member countries.April 2 was adopted by the United Nations as World Autism...

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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 founder of the organization Prison...

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David Myatt

Autism Light #185 is David Myatt.David Myatt is from Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, United Kingdom. This is about 100 miles North West of London, 25 miles south of Birmingham and 10 miles east of Stratford upon Avon. David formed the Halo Driving School in Leamington Spa in November, 2011. David Myatt has Asperger's and one of the specialties of his business is teaching individuals with autism how to drive a motor vehicle. David Myatt is an Autism...

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Melinda Smith

Autism Light #37 is Melinda Smith.A Backlight Encore!Original Post: September 13, 2011Melinda Smith lives in Canberra, Australia. She is a mother of two sons and one of them has autism. She is also a poet. As a parent of a son with autism she writes for those experiencing autism from one experiencing autism. Melinda Smith is an Autism Light for how her poetry brings awareness to autism.Melinda describes her diverse life this way on her website, "I...

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Arizona Diamondbacks

Autism Light #184 is the Arizona Diamondbacks.The Arizona Diamondbacks are a Major League Baseball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They were an expansion team that had their first season in 1998. During their 14 years as a team they have been very supportive of community charities through their Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation. One of the beneficiaries of their funding has been the Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center. The Arizona Diamondbacks  are Autism Light for their assistance with Arizona autism programs as well as their hosting...

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Anita Lesko

Autism Light #183 is Anita Lesko.Anita Lesko is from Pensacola, Florida. Anita was diagnosed with Aspergers at age 50, and lived the first five decades of her life without knowing about how Aspergers impacted her relationships and life. Autism though has not held Anita back from working to help others. She is an anesthesiologist, author, speaker, trainer, and one of a group of leaders seeking to establish a mentor program for people with Aspergers....

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Timothy Welsh

Autism Light #81 is Timothy Welsh.A Backlight Encore!Original Post: November 9, 2011Tim Welsh Works With His Son TannerTimothy Welsh is from Catlin, Illinois.  His teenage son Tanner has autism.  Timothy Welsh has survived two heart attacks and today thrives as an autism parent advocate and co-founder and Executive Director of the new organization called AutismAid. Timothy Welsh is an Autism Light because of his influential advocacy for...

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Shinji Tejima

Autism Light #182 is Shinji Tejima.Shinji Tejima is from Fukuoka, Japan. He works at the Showa Studio Automobile Repair Shop. Shinji built a very expensive motorcycle that is a replica of a famed motorcycle that was featured in the 1988 Japanese animated science-fiction movie Akira. Rather than let it sit safe in his garage, he is riding it across the country of Japan to raise funds for a Japanese autism support group called the Bokura Company....

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John Mikkiah Thompson

Autism Light #181 is John Mikkiah Thompson.Easter Sunday is known for featuring the life changing music of the Christian faith. For this Easter Sunday we wanted to feature a young man whose life has been touched by autism and whose autism has been touched by Christian music and its message of Christian faith. John Mikkiah Thompson is 18 years old and from Shelbyville, Indiana. He has autism and did not speak until he was age 8. John Thompson is also...

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Spotlight on the News

Spotlight #2 is Autism News.Autism is frequently in the news because of it's global impact on so many areas of society. The autism community should welcome news stories on the condition, because it raises awareness and helps educate the public. There's nothing quite like free advertising. One can find some interesting studies and insight in autism news. However, not all news is accurate or helpful, but every positive has a negative.Here's links to...

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Sara Winter

Autism Light #180 is Sara Winter.Sara Winter is from Toronto, Canada. She is an aunt of a child with autism. She has spent over a decade working as a teacher's aid for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in school settings and serving as an aid to her 12 year old nephew who has autism. Sara is also a writer who writes on subjects that raises awareness for autism. In January, 2012 Sara Winter launched a social platform site for tweens and teens...

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Karen Tuohy

Autism Light #179 is Karen Tuohy.Karen Tuohy lives in Wilmington, Delaware. Karen is a special education teacher and a single mother of two adult children with autism. She is also a volunteer with Autism Delaware. Karen Tuohy is an Autism Light for her diverse efforts day in and day out to make the world a better place for children with autism and those who love them. Karen Tuohy is the first Autism Light from the state of Delaware in our ongoing...

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