Autism to the Front: Seeing Families Like Mine – Finding Cooper’s Voice

As we made our way home from his diagnosis appointment, we wondered where the other families like ours were.

We couldn’t possibly be the only ones going through this.

For so many years, the isolation continued. At first it was just a feeling. We were different. And boy did our world get small.

But then for a lot of years we couldn’t safely leave our home.

Our son Cooper was a runner and seemed to seek out danger. He couldn’t communicate. He didn’t sit or wait or listen or play.

That’s when the isolation nearly broke us. Those years were the hardest.

Yesterday I shared our story at a rural library in Spooner, Wisconsin. I was getting set up when I first heard Luke.

I didn’t even have to look because I knew…he was like my Cooper.

I have this saying that I share quite often.

Autism to the front. The front of the line or room or whatever.

I assured Luke’s mom that he could move freely around. Absolutely nothing he could do would bother me.

I saw her breathe a sigh of relief.

I am so proud of families who bring their autistic children out into the community. And I feel so much love for them.

It’s hard. There is judgement. And the world can be unkind. But they came anyways.

Luke is amazing. So is his family.

And seeing families like mine. It means everything to me.

Thank you Vinson and Julie for sharing your awesome kid with us.