Kyle Forbes

Autism Light #232 is Kyle Forbes.

Kyle Forbes is a student in Houston, Texas who has autism. Kyle Forbes is an Autism Light for saving his art teacher's life in 2009. At the time of this heroic act he was 10 years of age.

On October 13, 2009 at 10am, Kyle Forbes and his Art Teacher Sherri Lowe were alone in her class at Hyde Elementary School. Sherri Lowe chocked on an apple and couldn't breathe. Kyle jumped in and performed the Heimlich maneuver on his teacher clearing the airway and saving her life. According to reports Kyle learned how do the Heimlich maneuver in Cub Scouts and his father worked on reinforcement of the technique (Source).

The story of Kyle Forbes' heroic act can be found on the following other websites.

• Clear Creek HiLife (11/19/2009) by Amber Woods
• Special ABC News report on this event - may be viewed directly on YouTube
• Mom.me blog under the subject of Suprising Child Heroes by Lindsay Goldenberg

Special thanks to Kyle Forbes for being a hero and saving Art teacher Sherri Lowe's life. Kyle Forbes is an inspiration to many. He demonstrates that people with autism can learn important skills and truly make a difference in the lives of others.  Autism Light wishes Kyle Forbes the best in his future endeavors.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

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Reggie B. Walton

Autism Light #231 is The Honorable Reggie B. Walton.

The Honorable Reggie B. Walton has served as the United States District Judge for the District of Columbia since October 29, 2001, having been nominated to the position by then President George W. Bush. Judge Walton is an Autism Light for his groundbreaking ruling on July 26, 2012, that will ease the path for military families to receive Applied Behavioral Analyis treatment for their children through their military health insurance known as TRICARE.

Reggie B. Walton earned his law degree from American University, Washington College of Law in 1974.  Judge Walton is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.

On July 26, 2012, Judge Reggie B. Walton ruled that TRICARE, the health insurance program for United States active and retired military, must cover Applied Behavioral Analyis as a medically necessary therapy. The decision was in support of the plaintiffs in Civil Action No. 10-0373 in case known as Berge v. United States of America. Kenneth and Dawn Berge and a class of other impacted military families brought the Civil Action. The ruling will positively impact military dependents with autism who have basic TRICARE coverage and allow equal treatment for the autistic children of retired veterans as offered to active duty personnel.

Judge Walton's ruling explained the effectivness of ABA Therapy for autism treatment. The conclusion of the judgment report had this important ruling: 

Because the Agency's denial of ABA therapy coverage under the Basic Program is arbitrary and capricious, the Agency must therefore be enjoined from denying qualified beneficiaries coverage on the ground that ABA Therapy is not a covered benefit under the TRICARE Basic Program. Thus, the Court will remand the case back to the Agency with instructions that ABA therapy coverage be provided to Basic Program beneficiaries who otherwise qualify for reimbursement and such reimbursement be provided in compliance with the applicable TRICARE guidelines for the expenses incurred by qualified beneficiaries to acquire ABA therapy for their children. Accordingly, for the foregoing reasons, the plantiffs' motion for summary judgment is granted and the defendants' cross-motion for summary judgment is denied (Source-The entire 66 page ruling can be read at this link).

To learn more about how this judgment impacts military families with autism read the news coverage at the following websites.

• Operation Autism: A Resource Guide for Military Families
• Air Force Times.

For more information about Judge Reggie B. Walton and his other judicial accomplishments besides this autism case visit his Wikipedia page or his official District Judge page.

On this Veteran's Day we salute Judge Walton for giving a ruling that will directly help military families with autism. His ruling may also establish a precedence for future victories regarding insurance coverage of ABA treatment. Thanks to The Honorable Reggie B. Walton the door has been opened and the future appears brighter for military families and veterans who have children with autism that need ABA treatment.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

The photo of Judge Walton is in the Public Domain.

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Florida Lights

The State of Florida is the home of 15 Autism Lights. They include parents, individuals with autism, politicians, and athletes. People who live in Florida with autism are blessed that the state is the home to several foundations started by autism parents who live in Florida.

Florida Autism Lights

Individuals with Autism:

1. Joshua Banks is an artist who has autism. He lives in Jensen Beach, Florida.
2. Anita Lesko is a writer and anestheseologist who has Asperger's. She lives in Pensecola, Florida.
3. King Richard has autism and is from Pensecola, Florida.
4. Reid Soria is a musician who has autism from Ft. Walton Beach, Florida.

Autism Parents

1. Troy Blevins is an Autism Father from St. Augustine, Florida. He has raised awareness for autism through walking across the country.
2. Ernie and Liezl Els are Autism Parents and Ernie is a Professional Golfer. They have a home in Jupiter, Florida and founded the Els for Autism Foundation.
3. Jamie Grover is the Program Director for Autism on the Seas and he is an Autism Father. He is from Orlando, Florida.
4. Dan and Claire Marino are Autism Parents from Miami, Florida. They created the Dan Marino Foundation for autism.
5. Barry and Judith Nelson are Autism Parents from South Florida. They founded the Victory Center for Autism & Behavioral Challenges in North Miami Beach, Florida.
6. Jim Palmer is an Autism Father and Hall of Fame Baseball Player. He has a home in Palm Beach, Florida.
7. Luis Viera and Jorge Santeiro are Autism Fathers and founders of the Lawyers Autism Awareness Foundation. They are from Tampa Bay, Florida.

Politicians/Government

1. The Honorable Joan Lenard is a United States Judge on the United District Court for the Southern District Court of Florida who ordered that Medicaid in Florida should cover ABA treatment for autism.
2. Sen. Marco Rubio is a United States Senator representing Florida who has a record of being a champion for autism legislation.

Other

1. James King of Orlando, Florida is a volunteer rescuer who found missing Nadia Bloom on April 13, 2010.

Memorial Roll from Florida:

1. The late Herbert A. Kahn (1925-2005) helped found the Autism Society of America in 1965. He lived in Boynton Beach, Florida. His name is on the Autism Light Memorial Roll. 

You may reach all these posts by searching the blog through the "Florida" Label.

Florida Autism Events

Please notify Autism Light if you have additional events in Florida you want us to list.

Florida Advocacy

Autism Votes has an excellent website on Florida Autism Advocacy Resources.

Florida Resources

Autism Speaks has an excellent website page of Florida Autism Resources.

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The photo used in this post is the Florida Sunrise by Scott Meltzer.
The map of Florida is from the Wikipedia Commons.

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United States

 

Autism Light has reached a special milestone today. Autism Light #230 from Washington State completes a goal we have had since the early days of the blog to be able to share the positive stories about autism from around the entire United States. As of today there is at least one Autism Light from every state in the United States of America featured on this blog. Some of the larger states like California and New York have several Autism Lights but each state has at least one.

With this milestone reached it brings us to a new project that will be integrated into the Autism Light blog. We will begin dedicating a post on each state and including links on the page to the respective Autism Lights that call that state home. The purpose of this will be to make it easier for people to see what Autism Light stories are available from a particular state. We will also begin to help promote positive autism events from the respective state on the page.

Please be patient with us as it will take a while to cover every state. In the meantime you can always find an Autism Light from a particular state by clicking on the state "Label" in our Homelands page.

Thanks for helping us honor these diverse Autism Lights through your visits to this blog.

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Linda Foley

Autism Light #230 is Linda Foley.

Linda Foley is the Executive Director of FEAT of Washington (WA). FEAT stands for Families for Effective Treatment of Autism. The organization is based in Belleville, Washington. According to Linday Foley there are over 10,000 families in the state of Washington effected by autism. Linda Foley is an Autism Light for her efforts to lead FEAT of WA in making life brighter for those with autism in Washington state.

The following is a Comcast Newsmakers feature on Linda Foley in her work at FEAT of WA.

 

 

Linda Foley said in the above interview, "FEAT of Washington is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing families with hope and guidance so their children with autism can achieve their full maximum potential." For more information on FEAT of Washington visit their website at www.featwa.org

 

You can also contact FEAT of WA at the following address:

 

FEAT of Washington
Located in Lake Sammamish Foursquare Church
14434 NE 8th St., Second Floor
Bellevue, WA 98007
Phone (425) 223-5126
Fax (425) 502-9310
admin@featwa.org

FEAT of Washington is also featured as a resource in the Autism Guidebook for Washington State.
In addition to her leadership of FEAT of Washington, Linda Foley also serves as Vice President of the Board of Directors of CHILD (Children's Institute for Learning Difficulties (Source).

Special thanks to Linda Foley for her work at FEAT of Washington. Linda Foley is the first Autism Light from the state of Washington. Her efforts are a light to the autism community in the state of Washington as she helps lead FEAT of Washington.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.


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Scott and Gail Werner-Robertson

Autism Lights #229 are Scott and Gail Werner-Robertson.

Scott and Gail Werner-Robertson are from Omaha, Nebraska.  They have two sons with autism. Scott is a pilot and owner of the air charter company, UltraAir and Gail Werner-Robertson is a lawyer who founded GWR Wealth Mangement. Scott and Gail Werner-Robertson are Autism Lights for being dedicated parents of autism and for bringing hope and help to those with autism in Nebraska through the Autism Action Partnership that they founded.

The role Scott and Gail Werner-Robertson had in the origins of the Autism Action Partnership is explained this way on the Autism Action Partnership's website.

Gail Werner-Robertson and Scott Robertson, the founders of Autism Action Partnership (AAP), laid the groundwork for Autism Action Partnership in 2000 when they began the GWR Sunshine Foundation. As the parents of two sons diagnosed with autism, they personally experienced the constant challenges and frustrations associated with finding adequate, cost effective treatment services, medical expertise, and basic educational support for their children. Determined that other Nebraska families would not have to endure the same struggles, Gail and Scott began their work to provide support to individuals with autism and their families across the state (Source).

You can view a news story on the work of Scott and Gail Werner-Robertson on YouTube at http://youtu.be/8nFIdMTO_6E (sorry the YouTube settings won't allow this great video of Scott and Gail Werner-Robertson to be embeded here).  In addition, here is a YouTube video spotlighting the different programs associated with the Autism Action Partnership.


The Autism Action Partnership became a public non-profit organization in 2008.  Gail Werner-Robertson serves as the Chairman of the Board to this day. Gail's motivation for making a difference for autism can be understood in the following statement she made as an autism parent:

"All I ever wanted was for my child to be invited to just one birthday party (Source)."

Gail Werner-Robertson: Gail Werner-Robertson earned both her B.A. and J.D. from Creighton University. For more information on Gail Werner-Robertson you can read her biography at the Plate Institute for Economic Research's website.

Scott Robertson: Scott Robertson's biography on the UltraAir website says the following:

Scott is a founding board member of the Nebraska Business Aviation Association and sits on the boards of the Mid-America Council of the Boy Scouts of America and the Children's Scholarship Fund. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Professional Aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and resides in Omaha with his wife and four children (Source).

Scott and Gail Werner-Robertson are the first Autism Lights from the state of Nebraska. Their dedication to shining a light for autism in Omaha, Nebraska is an inspiration to the autism community. The autism community is fortunate to have them as parent leaders who fight the good fight for autism in Nebraska.

Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

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Anthony Starego

Autism Light #228 is Anthony Starego.
 

 

Anthony Starego is a senior at Brick High School in Brick, New Jersey. He has autism and is the place kicker for his high school football team.  Anthony was an orphan at the age of 3 and lived in 11 foster homes before being adopted by Ray and Reylene Starego. Anthony Starego is an Autism Light for his achievements in football and how he has overcome disabilities and disappointments in his life to be an inspiration to others who have autism.
 

Anthony Starego kicked the game winning field goal on October 19, 2012 in a game where his team Brick High School played Toms River North High School.  Below is a video on Anthony Starego's amazing accomplishment on the football field.

  

Anthony Starego's coach Kurt Weiboldt said his autism is an asset as a kicker, "Fifty times a day, that's all he does. Just three steps back, one over and he hits the ball. That's what he knows and that's what he did (Source)." 

 

Anthony said this about his experience with football in high school:  "I do the same thing over and over again. It helps me a lot, and I'm having the best day of my life (Source)."

Anthony Starego will be added to the Autism Light Sports page and join some other fine high school athletes who have autism. We wish him the best in his future endeavors as his outstanding attitude, dedication, and talent shines a light for autism.  

 

 Autism Light honors diverse heroes to the world of autism.

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