07-04-2006, 09:13 AM
I've never met someone with autism..19 year old Patrick Vandygriff was the first.
There are so many preconceived notions and misperceptions about autism out there.. and even though I had done some preliminary reading before I mer Patrick I had no idea what to expect.
Patrick and his mom, Kym, Greeted me at the front door. He looked in my direction and said hello. I felt at ease.
Kym wasn't sure how much her son would speak with me, especially on camera. But once we got talking about sports, especially the white sox, the conversation began to flow. Of course it helped when our photographer with all the sports knowledge jumped.
After spending some time with Patrick, I interviewed his parents - Kym and Jeff. They told me all about the day Patrick was diagnosed. He was four and the doctors recommended putting him in an institution.
But the Vandygriffs believed in their son too much to give up.
Today, Patrick is in college and has two jobs. He's aslo the recipient of the Temple Grandin Award which recognizes the most accomplished people with autism in the country.
I decided to interview some of Patrick's mentors, including Rock Island High School's head football coach, Andy Campbell.
Patrick and his dad came along for the interview. Watching Patrick and Andy interact showed me how much a person can change your life. Andy has known Patrick for seven years and he's always treated him like a normal teenager.
That, along with his family's support, has given Patrick the confidence and the comfort level to become what he is today.
People with autism can achieve great success. The disorder doesn't affect their intelligence. It just makes it difficult for them to communicate and be social.
Meeting Patrick, his family and friends was such an honor. It gave me an inside look into a circle of people who know how to bring out the best in each other.
By Sloane Heller at whbf.com
There are so many preconceived notions and misperceptions about autism out there.. and even though I had done some preliminary reading before I mer Patrick I had no idea what to expect.
Patrick and his mom, Kym, Greeted me at the front door. He looked in my direction and said hello. I felt at ease.
Kym wasn't sure how much her son would speak with me, especially on camera. But once we got talking about sports, especially the white sox, the conversation began to flow. Of course it helped when our photographer with all the sports knowledge jumped.
After spending some time with Patrick, I interviewed his parents - Kym and Jeff. They told me all about the day Patrick was diagnosed. He was four and the doctors recommended putting him in an institution.
But the Vandygriffs believed in their son too much to give up.
Today, Patrick is in college and has two jobs. He's aslo the recipient of the Temple Grandin Award which recognizes the most accomplished people with autism in the country.
I decided to interview some of Patrick's mentors, including Rock Island High School's head football coach, Andy Campbell.
Patrick and his dad came along for the interview. Watching Patrick and Andy interact showed me how much a person can change your life. Andy has known Patrick for seven years and he's always treated him like a normal teenager.
That, along with his family's support, has given Patrick the confidence and the comfort level to become what he is today.
People with autism can achieve great success. The disorder doesn't affect their intelligence. It just makes it difficult for them to communicate and be social.
Meeting Patrick, his family and friends was such an honor. It gave me an inside look into a circle of people who know how to bring out the best in each other.
By Sloane Heller at whbf.com