Arthur Fleischmann

Autism Light #281 is Arthur Fleischmann.

In honor of Father's Day 2013, we wanted to honor a very special autism father who is the co-author of the book Carly's Voice, which tells the inspirational story of his nonverbal daughter.  Arthur Fleischmann is partner and president of john st advertising and lives in Toronto, Canada with his wife Tammy Starr and their children Matthew, Taryn, and Carly. His daughter, Carly Fleischmann, was the first Autism Light and the inspiration for the start of the Autism Light blog. Arthur Fleischmann is an Autism Light because of his dedication as an autism father, and his autism advocacy through speaking and writing about Carly's breakthrough in communication.

Education: Arthur Fleischmann received his B.A. in English Literature and Economics from Brandeis University. He earned an M.B.A. from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University (Source).

The following is a video where Arthur Fleischmann explains about Telling Carly's Story.


Carly's Voice: Arthur Fleishchmann co-authored the book Carly's Voice. Carly wrote the last chapter of the book and Arthur wrote the rest of the manuscript. It was published in April, 2012. Carly's Voice has been translated into 6 languages and may be ordered from Simon & Schuster and you can read excerpts at Carly's website at http://www.carlysvoice.com/.

Arthur Fleischmann said about his journey in the early years as an autism father: "If we had done what so many people told us to do years ago, we wouldn't have the child we have today. We would have written her off. We would have assumed the worst. We would have never seen how she could write these things —how articulate she is, how intelligent she is (Source)."

John st. advertising: Arthur Fleischmann is president and partner with the john st. advertising firm, a top advertising agency in Toronto, Canada. His staff page at john st. says:

His career included stints in sales (Xerox) and marketing (Kraft/General Foods), before deciding on a life in advertising. In starting john st. in 2001, his goal was to create a “creative collaborative” without the silos or bureaucracy or territorialism he’d seen in his previous lives. He believes creativity is a powerful business tool and has led his team to win more advertising effectiveness awards than any other agency in the last decade (Source).

Lavin Agency Speaker's Bureau: Arthur Fleischmann is a speaker through the Lavin Agency Speaker's Bureau. You can read his speaker's page at the Lavin Agency.

Autism Live: The following is a video where Arthur Fleischmann was featured on the "Let's Talk Autism" segment of Autism Live on June 20, 2012.


Social Media: You can follow Arthur Fleischmann on the following social media areas.

• Facebook
• Twitter @torontoadguy
• LinkedIn

Special thanks to Arthur Fleischmann for being an autism light. His dedication to his daughter Carly and to telling her story is promoting autism awareness around the world. Happy Father's Day to all the autism fathers working hard to make the best possible life for their children. If you wish to read about other autism fathers featured over the years at Autism Light search with the label Fathers.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

The photo in this post is used with permission of Arthur Fleischmann.

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Dr. Bryan Jepson

Autism Light #277 is Dr. Bryan Jepson.

Dr. Bryan L. Jepson, M.D. is a physician, researcher, author, and internationally known speaker. Dr Bryan Jepson resides in the Austin, Texas area. Trained as a board certified Emergency Physician, the passion and focus of his career turned significantly toward understanding the biomedical treatments for autism after his second son Aaron was diagnosed with autism in 2001. Dr. Bryan Jepson is an Autism Light for being an autism father and for the way in which his work over the years has helped those dealing with autism.

Family:  Dr. Bryan Jepson is married to Laurie Jepson. The couple has four children. Their second child Aaron has autism. In 2008 they adopted an older 7 year old boy named Austin from the foster care system who has autism (Source).

Education: Dr. Bryan Jepson graduated from the University of Utah Medical School in 1995. He completed his emergency medicine residency in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 1998.

Experience: Dr. Bryan Jepson has experience as an emergency physician and medical director and has been integral in helping start clinics in Utah and Texas.

• In 2002, Dr. Bryan Jepson and his wife Laurie founded the Children's Biomedical Center of Utah. 
• Dr. Bryan Jepson worked full-time as as an emergency physician until 2006.
• In 2006, Dr. Bryan Jepson helped start The Thoughtful House Center for Children (now known as the Johnson Center for Child Health and Development) in Austin, Texas. He was a medical director, researcher and treated patients when he was a member of the team there from 2006 till about 2011. 
• He returned to being an emergency physician after he concluded his time at the Johnson Center for Child Health and Development.
• Dr. Bryan Jepson is currently serving as the medical director of Integrative Sports and Wellness Medical Center in Austin, Texas.

The following is a video of Dr. Bryan Jepson briefly sharing his background.



Changing the Course of Autism: Dr. Bryan Jepson authored the book Changing the Course of Autism: A Scientific Approach for Parents and Professionals, which was published in 2007. Medical Veritas 4 (2007) reviewed the book and said, "The book reviews the history of autism through its evolution from a purely psychiatric disease model to the current cutting edge biomedical understandings and treatment approaches. Emerging science is cited as to the epigenetic phenomena causing this increasingly prevalent disorder. The text acts as a roadmap for healthcare professionals and parents attempting to understand the intertwined gastrointenstinal, immunological, and neurological issues that are shrouded by an underlying corruption of detoxification systems in these children (Source)." The forward to the book was written by Katie Wright, daughter of the founders of Autism Speaks.

Here is a video of Dr. Jepson discussing his book Changing the Course of Autism.

  

Autism Organizations: Dr. Bryan Jepson is a member of the Treatment Advisory Board at Autism Speaks. He has also served as a "clinical advisor to Autism Research Institute and co-coordinator of their clinician training seminars (Source)."

Conference Speaker: Dr. Bryan Jepson was a frequent speaker autism related medical conferences.

• In 2006, Dr. Bryan Jepson presented  at the National Autism Association Conference. His presentation is online and was called Autism: The Evolution of a Disease.
• The Autism One Website uploaded in 2010 a full length presentation by Dr. Bryan Jepson called Treating Autism: Understanding Biomedical Treatment Options that one can listen to free of charge.

Hobbies: Exercise is one of Dr. Bryan Jepson's hobbies. "He has completed in amateur bike races, running races and triathlons for the last 10 years (Source)."

Special thanks to Dr. Bryan Jepson for the difference he has made in the lives of thousands of families with autism through his work with research into biomedical treatment options. This post will also be linked to the Autism Light Medical Page.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

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David Ide

Autism Light #274 is David Ide.

David Ide was the Executive Director and co-founder of the Cornerstone Autism Foundation. He had lived in Zionsville, Indiana since 2006. On June 6, 1992, David Ide married Debbie Debolt. Their children Madison and Austin were born in 1997 and are fraternal twins and their son Austin has autism. David Ide is an Autism Light for his dedication as a father and co-founder of an autism service organization in Indiana.

David Ide was born on October 7, 1964 in Petoskey, Michigan and passed away unexpectedly in his sleep on March 4, 2013, from what was believed to be a ruptured aorta. You can read David Ide's obituary online at the Indianapolis Star. David Ide will be added to the Autism Light Memorial Roll today as he is added to Autism Light. 

Education: David Ide earned his Bachelor's degree from Central Michigan University. 

Cornerstone Autism Center/Foundation: David Ide was the co-founder of the Cornerstone Autism Center/Foundation and at the time of his death was serving as its Executive Director. He had a passion to start the Cornerstone Autism Center because of experiencing first hand, as an autism parent, the need for more organizations to effectively meet the needs of children with autism. Cornerstone Autism Center has locations in Greenwood and West Lafayette, Indiana. Here's how their website describes this autism service organization. 

The Cornerstone Autism Foundation was founded in December of 2011 by David Ide, Debbie Ide and Ken Weadick to maximize those who struggle, embrace those who love, and fulfill those who serve in the autism community. Cornerstone Autism Foundation accomplishes its mission by providing grants and sponsorships to Indiana-based nonprofit organizations, schools and charitable events that serve and benefit children living with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (Source).

The following is a news story where David Ide is featured as the Executive Director of Cornerstone Autism Center as they gave iPads for children with autism in their community.

Here is a video of David Ide at a Rock Out for Autism Fundraiser on September 29, 2012 that benefited Cornerstone Autism Center. 
Debbie Ide issued the following statement to the community about the future of Cornerstone Autism Center after David Ide's passing.

We wish to assure you that Cornerstone will strongly and with integrity continue on. Cornerstone Autism Center stands as David's legacy to the world, his gift to all of us. What began as a dream became a reality that will continue to bring hope, support and empowerment to those with autism and those who love them. In the emotional aftermath of this tragedy, you can be comforted in the knowledge that the amazing therapy and care of children that has been associated with Cornerstone Autism Center will not be diminished in anyway. Our 'best in class' service will be maintained. Our desire to honor David compels that (Source).

Other Activities: David Ide's obituary said, "David was a past grand knight of the Knights of Columbus, an active member of the Boys and Girls Club board, and taught religious education at St. Alphonsus (Source)." 
Social Media: You can follow the Cornerstone Autism Center/Foundation at the following social media areas.

• Twitter @CornerstoneFndn
• YouTube Channel
• Facebook Page for Cornerstone Autism Center

David Ide Memorial Fund: The David Ide Memorial Fund has been established in David Ide's memory. You can donate online toward this at this link. Those that started the Memorial Fund said, "David Ide has helped so many children and families who struggle with Autism Spectrum Disorder. He has impacted so many lives, especially our children who are affected by autism. In honor of our beloved leader, we have created the David Ide Memorial Fund through his foundation (Source)."
We honor the memory of David Ide and hope that his example as a parent and leader for autism will inspire others to do whatever they can wherever they are. David Ide was truly a light for autism during his life and his influence continues to be felt by those who knew him and who experience the Cornerstone Autism Center.  After his death David's wife Debbie said, "This tragedy reminds us all how short life truly is. May you live today as intentionally as David lived his life (Source)." The autism community experienced a tremendous loss when David Ide passed away and our thoughts continue to be with David Ide's family at this time of loss, especially his wife Debbie and his twins Madison and Austin.
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John Schneider

Autism Light #271 is John Schneider.

John Schneider is an actor and musician from Agoura Hills, California who is probably best known for his role as "Bo Duke" in the 1980's television show The Dukes of Hazzard.  John Schneider has a personal reason for having a passion for autism causes. John Schneider's son Chasen has the form of autism known as Asperger's. John Schneider is an Autism Light for his role as an autism father, his advocacy for autism and for helping to show how actors can help the cause of autism.  Actors for Autism: The following is a Public Service Announcement that John Schneider did for Actors for Autism.  
Autism Speaks: John Schneider has worked with the autism organization Autism Speaks. John Schneider said, "My involvement is raising funds for their cause as well as speaking to people, firsthand, about the experience of raising a wonderful young man who is among those on the spectrum (Source)."
Acting Career: John Schneider has a prolific acting career. His first and most famous role was as Bo Duke in The Dukes of Hazzard, which started when he was just 18. He also starred in 100 episodes of Smallville, where he played Jonathan Kent, the father of Superman.  In addition, he had a recurring role on Dr. Quinn: Medicine Women. You can view his complete list of acting roles on his IMDb Webpage. 
Music Career: John Schneider is also a country music singer who has recorded over 10 albums. In 1985, his album, A Memory Like You featuring the song What's a Memory Like You (Doing in a Love Like This) was #1 on the charts. Here is a live performance in 1986 of Schneider's #1 Country Song.
Children's Miracle Network:  In 1982, John Schneider co-founded with Marie Osmond the Children's Miracle Network to meet the needs of children while they are receiving hospital care. Here is a video of John Schneider explaining what the Children's Miracle Network does. 

John Schneider explained that he is involved in charities that are important to him personally:

That is why I helped start the Children's Miracle Network 25 years ago. A child's experience while in a hospital happens to really mean something to me. How kids on the autism spectrum are treated and how those around them are educated about their specifics is truly important to me (Source).

Christian Faith: While living with Johnny and June Cash, John Schneider converted to Christianity (Source). Schneider continues to be  practicing Christian to this day. John Schneider also starred in the Christian movie, What Would Jesus Do?

FaithWorks Productions: John Schneider founded FaithWorks Productions in 1995 to produce family oriented films and media. Over the years many films have been produced by FaithWorks. In 2012, John Schneider produced two pro-life films in the same year (Source).

Advice to Parent about Autism: John Schneider has given this advice to parents of those on the autism spectrum.

Autistic kids, as well as adults, are amazing people who we can learn from. I believe the best thing you can do is to help them focus on something they are truly interested in, and you will be amazed at what they can accomplish! For example, my son, Chasen, was interested in both sport and history of body building when he was eleven. He focused and was published in two separate magazines on the sport with the byline "But what do I know...? I'm just a kid!" (Source).

Additional Information: For more information on John Schneider visit these websites.

• John Schneider's Wikipedia Page
• John Schneider's Official Webpage

Social Media: You can follow John Schneider in the following social media areas.

• Twitter @John_Schneider - Verified Account

Special thanks to John Schneider for all he does for those with autism. John Schneider's work as an Autism Light is an important help to the autism community.  
Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.
The photo of John Schneider in this post is in the Public Domain and is attributed to Phil K. Onstantin.

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Mike Lake

Autism Light #269 is Mike Lake. 

The Honorable Michael "Mike" Lake is an Autism Father, businessman, and has been a Member of Parliament in Canada since 2006. Mike Lake is from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He is a father of a teenager named Jaden who has autism. Mike Lake is an Autism Light both for his dedication first as an autism father and for spreading autism awareness in his role as a political leader in Canada.
Mike Lake and his wife Debi have two children, a son Jaden, 17 and a daughter Jenae, 13.  The following is an interview Mike Lake had with Steve Paikin on The Agenda in 2012. Mike Lake's son Jaden is sitting beside him during the interview. 
Education: Mike Lake graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Commerce (with distinction). 
Sports Executive: Before Mike Lake entered Canadian federal politics, he worked for 10 years with the Edmonton Oilers Hockey Club. He served as National Accounts Manager, Director of Ticket Sales and Group Sales Manager for the Edmonton Oilers. 
Autism Society of Edmonton:  Mike Lake is a Member of the Autism Society of Edmonton. In August, 2012, Mike Lake held his 5th Annual Pancake Breakfast to raise funds for the Autism Society of Edmonton.  The event raised $40,000 in 2012, which was $8,000 more than in 2011 (Source).
At his annual fundraiser in 2012, Mike Lake shared how important the Autism Society has been for his family and said, "We got the diagnosis from the Glenrose and the first place we turned was the Autism Society to try and find out what to do next and get advice and hear a little bit more about what was available out there and here from other families who were going through the same thing we were (Source)."
If you want to learn more about the work of the Autism Society of Edmonton visit their website at www.autismedmonton.org.
Member of Parliament: Mike Lake has been a Member of Parliament in Canada, serving in the House of Commons since 2006. Mike Lake was appointed by Prime Minister Stephen Harper as the Parliamentary Secretary of Industry in 2008. The following is a statement that Mike Lake made on World Autism Awareness Day -2013 for the Parliament in Canada. 

Autism advocacy is a very important component of Mike Lake's work in Canada's House of Commons. Mike Lake told ABC News in September, 2012, "I didn't get elected to Parliament on the autism issue, but as time has gone by, it's one world. It has allowed me a platform to get out there and raise awareness (Source)."
Visit the Autism Work section of his Website to see extensive content and media work Mike Lake has done for Autism since his election to Parliament in 2006. This is a very helpful page for all those interested in Mike Lake's autism advocacy. Additional Information: You can read more about Mike Lake on the following Websites:

• Mike Lake's Wikipedia Page. 
• Mike Lake's Official Member of Parliament Website

Social Media: You can follow Mike Lake on the following social media areas.

• Twitter @MikeLakeMP
• YouTube Channel
• Facebook Page for Mike Lake

Special thanks to Mike Lake for being a dedicated father, a fundraiser, and an advocate for autism awareness. The autism community in Canada is fortunate to have Mike Lake in Parliament providing a voice to those who, because of the effects of autism, can not speak for themselves.  If you wish to read posts on other Autism Lights from Canada you can click on the Canada Label at Autism Light. 
Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

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Deron and Amy Williams

Autism Lights #265 are Deron and Amy Williams. 

Deron and Amy Williams are Autism Parents from Brooklyn, New York. Their adopted son D.J. has autism. Deron Williams is an NBA All-Star who plays for the Brooklyn Nets Professional Basketball Team. Deron and Amy Williams are able to help autism families in their community through special projects associated with their Point of Hope Foundation. Deron and Amy Williams are Autism Lights because of their dedication to their son D.J. and their desire to shine a light to other families in their community who are struggling with autism.

The following was a video that Deron Williams did for NBA Cares about his passion for autism.


Deron and Amy Williams adopted their son D.J. from an agency in Utah, but their son D.J. was actually born in Brooklyn, New York at Maimonides Medical Center, the official hospital of the Brooklyn Nets. In part to provide stability for his son, Deron Williams recently signed a 5 year contract to play with the Brooklyn Nets.

Deron Williams said this about his son's diagnosis of autism.

It was tough because you start thinking. 'Is he going to have a normal life?' Is he ever going to get married? Is he going to be able to play sports?' It was sad, tough on us for a while. It's been awakening. And you have to learn to be a little bit more patient (Source).

Basketball Career: Deron Williams played college basketball for the University of Illinois. In 2005 he led Illinois to the NCAA Championship game where they finished runner-up. Deron Williams has played in the NBA for 7 seasons and is currently an All-Star Guard for the Brooklyn Nets. You can see his career stats at this link.

Here is a video of when Deron Williams set an NBA record for 9 three pointers in a half of a game on March 8, 2013 against the Washington Wizards.


Kia Community Assist Award: In November, 2012, Deron Williams won the Kia Community Assist Award (Source). He won the award "in recognition of his outstanding efforts in the community and his ongoing philanthropic and charitable work (Source)."

Point of Hope Foundation: Deron and Amy Williams founded the Point of Hope Foundation in 2007. Their website says that,

Point of Hope creates opportunities to help raise funds that can directly impact the lives of children in need. The foundation has supported cancer research, children with autism, different scholarship funds, single mother organizations, Boys & Girls Club, and a number of different children organizations through grants and donations (Source).

Here is a video of the Point of Hope Foundation giving to the community.


On December 22, 2012, Deron and Amy Williams hosted a special holiday party at the Distilled in New York City to shine a light for single mothers of children with autism who were impacted by Hurricane Sandy (Source). The Point of Hope Foundation partnered with Autism Speaks in the holiday event. 30 families had their holiday brightened by this event and, "The families were also gifted with toys, some of which were featured on the Toys "R" Us Toy Guide for Differently-Abled Kids and the Ten Toys that Speak to Autism (Source)." Toys "R" Us was featured on this blog as Autism Light #8.

More Information: For more information on Deron and Amy Williams visit these Websites.

• Wikipedia - Deron Williams
• www.deronwilliams.com
• NY Daily News Article by Stefan Bondy

Social Media: You can follow Deron Williams on the following social media.

• Facebook Page
• Twitter @DeronWilliams

Special thanks to Deron and Amy Williams for the light they shine for Autism. We wish their family the best and look forward to hearing how the Point of Hope Foundation helps needy children, including some with autism, in the years ahead. Deron Williams' post at Autism Light will be linked on the Autism Light Sports Page, where he becomes the first NBA player listed who is also an autism father.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

The photo of Deron Williams is in the Creative Commons of Wikipedia.

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Myron Cope

Autism Light #262 is Myron Cope.

Courtesy of Autism Society of Pittsburgh

Beloved by fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers and honored by a grateful community where he lived his entire life, Myron Cope's last words were said five years ago, but his charitable legacy continues to give a voice to those, like his son Danny, who live in the silent world of autism. Born on January 23, 1929, and passing away on February 27, 2008, Myron Cope was preceded in death by his wife Mildred and was survived by a daughter Elizabeth and an autistic son Danny. Myron Cope is an Autism Light for supporting leading autism organizations in the Pittsburgh area and giving his son Danny a legacy through his humble support. Myron Cope will also be placed on the Autism Light Memorial Roll today.

The following is an Obituary on Myron Cope that aired on Pittsburgh's WTAE-TV after his death.

Sports Writer and Commentator: Myron Cope was best known for being the color commentator for the Pittsburgh Steelers for 35 years from 1970-2005. During his career he also was involved in other media ventures in the Pittsburgh area for sports enthusiasts. Myron Cope was also a sports writer in his early career and did a famous interview with Howard Cosell that is considered a Sports Illustrated Classic. You can still read the article on the Sports Illustrated Website.

Pro Football Hall of Fame: Myron Cope retired in 2005 and that year he received the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Pete Rozella Radio-Television Award (Source).

The following is a news story of Myron Cope's funeral service by WTAE-TV in 2005.

Terrible Towel: In 1975 during the Pittsburgh Steelers playoff run, Myron Cope created what is regarded as the first rally towel in sports. Called the Terrible Towel, the Pittsburgh Steeler's fan towel is black and gold and says "Myron Cope Official The Terrible Towel".  In 1996, Myron Cope signed over the rights for the Terrible Towel to the Alleghany Valley School, where his son Danny lives. Sales of the towel have generated over $3 Million dollars for the school.

Elizabeth Cope, Myron's daughter, believes that the Terrible Towel  is symbolic of much more than football and is a legacy to her autistic brother Danny. She said, "He's like the invisible face. He's the main man really behind the terrible towel. My dad is known for his voice and he has a son that doesn't speak, isn't able to speak and he's kind of given him an enormous voice (Source)."

Alleghany Valley School: Today about 900 children, adults, and senior adults with developmental disabilities, such as autism, are served by the Alleghany Valley School. More information on the school is available at their Website at http://avs.nhsonline.org.

After Myron Cope's death it was revealed that he had also quietly been donating millions of dollars to the Alleghany Valley School through his speaking engagements.  In 2008 the Alleghany Valley School's CEO Regis Davis told reporter Mike Wereschagin that whenever Myron Cope was paid to give a speech he would ask that the check be made payable to Allegheny Valley School or he would later sign it over himself to the school (Source). 

Regis Davis said, "This was his income...He never needed any notoriety, never wanted any attention brought to all this. Danny is the center of Myron's universe. He was completely dedicated to Danny, to his care, to his progress (Source)."

Autism Society of Pittsburgh: Myron Cope was one of a group of individuals who founded the Autism Society of Pittsburgh in 1967, helping them get their first grant for operations. He also served on their board of directors for many years. The mission statement of the Autism Society of Pittsburgh is this:

Since 1967, the Autism Society of Pittsburgh has been the local action unit of the Autism Society of America, the foremost voice and resource of the nation's autism community. We are comprised of volunteers, parents and professionals, working on behalf of all children and those of adult age on the autism spectrum. Our objective is to improve the lives of those with autism and related disorders of behavior and communication (Source).

For more details on the work and mission of the Autism Society of Pittsburgh visit their website at www.autismsocietypgh.org.

The Autism Society of Pittsburgh continues to benefit from those who wish to pay tribute to Myron Cope. One of the organization's key fundraisers is the Myron Cope/ Foge Fazio Memorial Golf Classic.  The 2013 event will be held on June 10, 2013. For more information on the 2013 event visit the golf tournament's section of the Autism Society of Pittsburgh's Website.

Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix: Myron Cope is also responsible for founding the charitable Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix which had it's first race in 1983. Several million dollars of funds from the race over the decades have benefited both the Autism Society of Pittsburgh and Alleghany Valley School. More information on the event is available at their Wikipedia page.

Other Information: For more information on Myron Cope's life visit his Wikipedia page. You can also read his obituary published by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Through this post being placed with others on the blog today, Autism Light wishes to give a special shout out for Myron Cope. The legacy he left his son Danny and the support his name gives to the Alleghany Valley School and the Autism Society of Pittsburgh has made a tremendous difference for hundreds of people with autism in the Pittsburgh area. For the autism community, Myron Cope was much more than a dynamic hall of fame sports announcer. Myron Cope was like so many other autism fathers who quietly gave what resources he had at his disposal to make a difference for the cause that personally touched his own child. And what a difference he is making.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

The photo of Myron Cope was used with permission of Daniel Torisky and is credited to the Autism Society of Pittsburgh.

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Rob Gorski

Autism Light #258 is Rob Gorski.

Rob Gorski is a 33 year old autism father from Canton, Ohio. Rob has 3 sons who have autism. You can read about his family on the About page of his blog called Lost and Tired. In June, 2010, Rob Gorski created the Lost and Tired blog to share his families story of living with autism and to raise autism awareness. With it's over 12 million hits on the blog in 2011, The Lost and Tired blog is unquestionably one of the top blogs written by an autism father. Rob Gorski is an Autism Light for his faithfulness as a father of 3 children with autism and for giving the encouragement to the autism community as a writer and blogger via his inspirational Lost and Tired blog. 

Rob Gorski is married to Lizzie and his 3 sons are Gavin, age 12; Elliott, age 6; Emmett John, age 3. In addition to having autism, each of his children have other health issues that the family works through daily.  What makes The Lost and Tired blog so relevant to those in the autism community is that Rob shares his family's daily experiences from the accomplishments to the struggles.

Rob Gorski has uploaded over 150 videos of everday life in his autism family on his YouTube Channel, including this one in February, 2013, about his wife Lizzie undergoing treatment for severe headaches.

The Lost and Tired Blog: In 2011, over 12 and a half million hits were received by the Lost and Tired blog (Source). Rob Gorski's most popular blog post was called 10 Things My Autistic Kids Wished You Knew. The post has garnered over 12,000 likes. In 2012, Lost and Tired made the Top 30 Autism Blogs for Parents by Babble.com. It also made the Top 10 Autism Blogs by Skinny Scoop in 2012.

Rob Gorski writes this about his blog:

My name is Rob Gorski and I started this blog in June of 2010 as a means of sharing my family's real life journey raising 3 boys on the #Autism Spectrum. It's important for people to understand what Autism can really be like and the impact it has on the family. We aren't a TV show and there are no actors. This is our struggle, our journey...and it's all true. I am "Lost and Tired" and this is "My Reality #Autism" (Source).

Rob Gorski created the following movie on his most popular blog post called 10 Things My Autistic Kids Wished You Knew.  Rob would like people in the autism community to feel free to share this to raise autism awareness.

Other Web Achievements: Here are some other accomplishments of Rob Gorski's writing.

• Rob Gorski wrote A Heart Shattered by a Glimpse into Autism for CNN.Com in April, 2012.
• The Lost and Tired blog is listed as a Blog Resource by Autism Speaks. 
• Rob Gorski was interviewed by the Canton Repository in February, 2012. 
• For a list of other achievements visit the Lost and Tired Around the Web Page. 

Social Media: You can follow Rob Gorski and the Lost and Tired blog at the following social media pages:

• Facebook
• Google+
• Twitter @Lost_and_Tired
• YouTube - Twitterbug360

Special thanks to Rob Gorski for being an Autism Light. The writing that Rob Gorski does via the Lost and Tired blog is a critical part of the autism blogging community that is raising awareness for autism through the written words. Autism Light is honored to add Lost and Tired to our blog page today, where you can find a list of all blogs and bloggers previously featured at Autism Light.  

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

The photo in this post is used with permission of Rob Gorski.

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Byron Dafoe

Autism Light #250 is Byron Dafoe.

Byron Dafoe was born in Worthing, Sussex, England. At two months of age he moved with his mother to British Columbia, Canada. Byron Dafoe has a son with autism and he is a retired National Hockey League player who helped found Athletes Against Autism. He lives in British Columbia today. Byron Dafoe is an Autism Light for his dedication as an autism father and for his efforts to raise awareness for autism through Athletes Against Autism.

Hockey Career: Byron Dafoe played as a goaltender for the Boston Bruins, Washington Capitals, Los Angeles Kings and Atlanta Thrashers between 1992 and 2004. In 1999, Byron Dafoe was inducted into the Portland Pirates Hall of Fame (Source). His nickname was "Lord Byron". Byron Dafoe's career statistics are available at Hockey-reference.com.

Athletes Against Autism: In 2006, Byron Dafoe joined fellow hockey players Olaf Kolzig and Scott Mellanby as one of the original founders of Athletes Against Autism. Athletes Against Autism is now associated with Autism Speaks. 

Wikipedia Page: You can find out more information about Byron Dafoe at his Wikipedia Page.

Special thanks to Byron Dafoe for being one of the founders of Athletes Against Autism and using his notoriety to promote autism awareness. Autism Light wishes Byron and his family all the best in their ongoing journey with autism.

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Phillip Wills

Autism Light #249 is Phillip Wills.

Phillip Wills is an Autism Father from Truro, United Kingdom near Cornwall. Phillip Wills' son Josh is 12 years old and has severe autism. Joshua Wills has autism so severe that he has harmed himself and needed to be institutionalized for his safety. However, there is no suitable facility close to Joshua's family, so he had to be sent to Birmingham 260 miles away from his family (a 5 1/2 hour trip). Phillip Wills is an Autism Light because he is advocating for the need for a treatment facility to be developed closer to Cornwall to help those with severe autism like his son Josh. Even though it would be constructed too late for Joshua to use, Phillip Wills hopes Josh's story and his advocacy will make a difference in the lives of other autism families in the United Kingdom who may face similar challenges in the future.

Phillip Wills has created several autism awareness videos about his son Joshua that are all posted on his YouTube channel. Here is one of the videos that Phillip Wills developed about his son Josh's journey in 2012.



Phillip Wills said about his advocacy for an autism treatment facility near Cornwall, "It's too late for Josh, but if I can come close to stopping another father and mother having to make the decision to send their confused, upset hurting boy 250 miles away from their family then I feel I have done a good job for somebody else (Source)."

Phillip Wills offered this advice to parents of children with autism via Autism Light.

To other parents, don't give up, keep fighting, cherish the good bits, concentrate on them (My films "The Adventures of Joshua Wills" are about the positive side, watch them if you need reminding that it is not always bad). Look after yourselves and keep strong and healthy! Make time for yourselves as well, either as a couple or with friends or both! Whatever life throws at you, keep your child's smile in your mind. Take what it throws and then step forward stronger. REMAIN POSITIVE. ALWAYS.

Here is another video on Joshua Wills that Phillip Wills created called "The Further Adventures of Joshua Wills." 



Social Media: You can follow Phillip Wills' advocacy for his son Josh and other children with autism at the following social media pages. Phillip Wills provides regular updates on Josh and his advocacy with the government about the need for a closer autism facility.

• Twitter @JoshWillsWorld
• Facebook Group "The One and Only Joshua Wills"
• YouTube

For more information on Phillip Wills' advocacy for autism see these news articles.

• Dad Takes Josh on Trip to No. 10
• Parent Calls for Cornish Autistic Unit

Joshua Wills is blessed to have four very special adults in his life. There is his father Phil and his StepMum Gill as well as his mother Sarah and StepDad Gavin who love him very much. Special thanks to Phillip Wills for being an Autism Light. We look forward to following the ongoing developments as Phillip Wills advocates through the government and community channels to get an autism treatment facility in the United Kingdom closer to Cornwall.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Photos: The photos in this post were used with permission of Phillip Wills.

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Joel Manzer

Autism Light #248 is Joel Manzer.

The first Autism Light post of 2013 is about an individual whose light has shined brightly for the autism blogging community for several years and his efforts and passion are poised to continue to light the way in the new year. Joel Manzer is an autism father from Norfolk, Virginia. His son whom he calls "Short Stack" has autism. Joel Manzer serves as the Lead Editor for Autisable, a blogging community with Xanga.com that was created in May, 2009, and is dedicated to sharing real blogs from people tackling the puzzle of autism. Joel Manzer who describes himself as "just one person among the thousands sharing their stories online" is an Autism Light for his dedication as an autism father and for his vision in leading Autisable today to be a helpful resource on the voices of the diverse autism community.

The following is a presentation where Joel Manzer explains Autisable and his passion for the work.

Joel Manzer writes this about the mission and origins of Autisable. 

When my son was diagnosed with autism, we searched online for an open source blogging community that we would show daily life with autism.  By open source, I mean one where someone didn't have to sign up to join to read information.   I've been blogging on Xanga.com for many years, and one day I was in a discussion with the people at Xanga.com and through that was birthed Autisable.com. Our mission is rather basic, to promote discussion of autism. We don't take a stance on a specific viewpoint or concept about it, but want to provide an environment where people can share their ideas and journey. Like our tag line says, "Real blogs from people tackling the puzzle of autism" (Source). 

On August 6, 2009, About.com "Parenting Children with Special Needs" chose Autisable as their site of the day (Source).  In the past several years Autisable has continued to grow in it's reach. Joel Manzer told Autism Light that they reach over 30,000 people on average per month at Autisable and have over 70,000 pageviews per month. They are a profit site that is part of the Xanga Network of Blogging community sites - owned by Xanga.com, Inc. The partnership with Xanga means that the technical side of the site is taken care of by Xanga, while Joel and two other editors manage content and social media outreach.  Joel Manzer told Autism Light that the goal of Autisable is "to unite the Autism Community and give back to the community."

Joel Manzer's goal for Autisable is "That Autisable will become the premier hub of all families and individuals and organizations that deal with Autism." Autisable is poised to do just that as a blogging community site where anyone can join, share, friend and subscribe to each other."  A list of autism organizations that share blog posts on Autisable includes Autism Speaks, Autism Today, and the Autism Society of America. 

Joel Manzer is a contributor on Autisable just like any other member, but he recently explained Autisable in a post called, "Its a Community..Its NOT my Blog." If you would like to blog on Autisable you can sign up for free at www.autisable.com and create your blog site TODAY!  If you are an aspiring blogger let 2013 be the year you accomplish your dreams of sharing your story with the autism community. Your story may make a difference for others trying to make sense of the autism puzzle.

Autism Today Leadership Conference: Among his other leadership roles in the autism comunity, Joel Manzer was a featured speaker in an Autism Today Leadership Conference.

Advice for Parents:  Joel Manzer gave this advice to parents of those with autism, "I'd like for them to know that they are not alone.  That wherever they are, there is help.   But beyond that I'd encourage them most that although their child may have a diagnosis of Autism, it should never define who their child is."  

Advice to Autism Bloggers: Joel Manzer gave this advice to autism bloggers, "Speak the truth, write from the heart. Be respectful and understanding. We're all in this together trying to understand one of the most complicated topics out there in the world: Autism. It's their stories of struggles and victories that can help thousands of others. Keep sharing."

Social Media:  You can follow the work of Autisable at the following social media sites.

• Facebook
• Twitter
• YouTube
• Pinterest

Special thanks to Joel Manzer for being an Autism Light. His efforts to add to the voices of autism bloggers through the organization of Autisable is making a difference to thousands of families. We look forward to updating this post as his vision for Autisable grows and develops in the months and years to come.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

Special Note: While the Autism Light blog is non-commercial, we have had a long standing arrangement where Autisable can repost any of our blog posts that the editor's wish to spotlight. This gives some of our selected tributes to autism heroes a larger audience. Over 100 Autism Lights posts have went into syndication on Autisable since September, 2011.  The mission of Autism Light is similar to Autisable in that we don't take a stance on a specific viewpoint or concept about autism, but tell life stories of those making a difference for autism and let the passions of Autism Lights provide content for the diverse resources and viewpoints that are shared on the Autism Light blog. 

Photo: The photos in this post are used with permission of Joel Manzer. 

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Doug and Julie Sharp

Autism Lights #243 are Doug and Julie Sharp.

Doug and Julie Sharp are from Johnstown, Ohio and have two sons, including a 12 year old son with autism named Daniel. Their dedication to make the world a brighter place for those with autism has taken them on a journey to set up an enterprise called the Lettuce Work Foundation (Lettuce Work), which will provide teenagers and adults with autism important work opportunities.  Doug and Julie Sharp are Autism Lights for being visionary autism parents and filling a need for young people with autism to transition into the workplace.

  

Education: Doug and Julie Sharp are both graduates of Otterbein University in Westerville, Ohio. Julie Sharp earned her Masters in Teaching from Otterbein University and Doug Sharp earned his MBA from The Ohio State University.

Work: Julie Sharp is a teacher at Oakstone Academy and Doug Sharp serves as a Vice President at Grange Insurance Companies in Columbus, Ohio.

The following are two versions of a production that Jenna Smith and Katharine Egli did for a photo journalism project at Ohio University in 2009 on the Sharp family and how their autism journey with their son Daniel led to the birth of Lettuce Work.

Smith:Egli project4 from Jenna Smith on Vimeo.
Lettuce Work: Doug and Julie Sharp incorporated Lettuce Work in 2007.  Doug serves as the Executive Director and Julie is the Program Director of Lettuce Work. The passion for starting an enterprise like Lettuce Work came from real needs the Sharp's discovered in their roles as autism parents and their involvement in education of autism students at Oakstone Academy in Westerville, Ohio.  Doug Sharp wrote this to Autism Light about their mission.

As we saw our students progressing through high school, Julie and I recognized that there is a significant need for additional training post-high school for many of our ASD kids. Even if they have plans to attend college, many of them still need additional help/training developing their social skills & communication skills outside the school. And of course, there are also students who will not go on to college that need vocational training and assistance finding work and succeeding in a work environment after high school. There just aren't enough programs "out there" to meet this need. We wanted to create a work environment where we could focus on developing these skills for our young adults with autism, and help them find other employment opportunities and live independently to the extent they are able. We worked with Ohio State to create our hydroponic growing business model, and will be selling a pre-packaged salad mix to local restaurants.

According to Doug Sharp the first years of Lettuce Work were "dedicated to market research, creating a business plan, developing a board, and soliciting donations to construct our facility."  A new facility for the business is currently being constructed and should be finished in 2013.  Doug Sharp writes this about the future of the company.

New Home of Lettuce Work

Lettuce Work is best described as a "social enterprise, since it is an actual business, but instead of using profits to reward the business owners, those are used to provide services to our ASD associates. Since we are just getting started and still under construction, we are starting to work with the Vocational Ed. students from Oakstone Academy in Westerville, Ohio. This school is nationally known for their programs for ASD students, and we are working with them to provide work experience for their Voc Ed ASD students. Once construction is complete, we will transition the students over to our growing operation, where they will get involved in all aspects of the business. That not only includes the basics of planting, harvesting and packaging, but also customer interaction via sales & delivery, and a lot of chemistry and math due to our hydroponic growing systems. Also plenty of exposure to computers related to running the business and growing systems.

The Lettuce Work Foundation is a 501c3 organization and has a board of directors made up of professionals in Ohio who bring considerable skill and experience to the organization (Source).  Donations are extremely helpful at this time and one may make a secure online donation to the Lettuce Work foundation through their website.  Lettuce Work is an approved agency provider for the Ohio Developmentally Disabled system. For more information on the mission of Lettuce Work you can contact them in these ways:

The Lettuce Work Foundation

PO Box 217 New Albany, Ohio 43054

PH: (614) 893-8029

Website: www.lettucework.org

Email: doug.sharp@lettucework.org or  julie.sharp@lettucework.org

Social Media: You can follow Doug and Julie Sharp and the Lettuce Work Foundation at the following social media areas:

• Facebook Group Page for The Lettuce Work Foundation
• Twitter @LettuceWork
• YouTube Channel for Lettuce Work

Doug Sharp said this to Autism Light about his expectation that programs that offer work opportunities for those with autism will become more widespread.

The most encouraging trend that I see is that more and more businesses are popping up that fit this "social enterprise" model to help employ adults with disabilities. I really believe this business model is the wave of the future versus the "traditional" non-profit organization that relies almost exclusively on donations to keep its doors open. Given the current economy and the extremely high unemployment rate for adults with disabilities (70%+), these small businesses are a bright light on the horizon.

Autism Light asked Doug Sharp how parents can prepare their older children for the day when they may enter the workplace.  This is what he said:

They need get started in High School and let the child work through the change together with their teacher/job coach and employer. Progress is measured in inches, not miles and in years, not days. Finding a patient employer who is willing to work with them is critical. Get started before they are out of high school. So many parents think that somehow their child will be able to go on to college or easily find a job after high school just like they did. Unfortunately, that's just not the case. Be honest and realistic about your child's interests, skills and abilities and get started sooner rather than later. Don't put it off - you'll do yourself and your child a big favor.

Special thanks to Doug and Julie Sharp for making a difference for autism. As children age and the population of adults with autism increases the business concept represented in Lettuce Work can serve as a model for how to create a win-win situation for business and disability services. We expect to hear great things from Lettuce Work as it grows and completes it's facility expansion in 2013.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

The Photos in this post were used with permission of Doug Sharp. 

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