On this World Autism Consciousness Day, I’d prefer to share an uplifting story about my son, Kevin, and his buddy, Cameron.
Kevin and Cameron met roughly 10 years in the past once they had been collectively in a Grade 8 class for college students with autism. Cameron was among the many high-functioning college students, and Kevin, nicely, he was not.
Kevin has the flexibility to talk in phrases and perceive most of what’s stated to him. However he’s not adept at dialog and doesn’t have the flexibility to navigate the world by himself.
After they had been in class collectively, Cameron would take note of the issues he knew can be onerous for Kevin, like hearth alarm drills. On these days he would ensure that to sit down close to Kevin to assist preserve him calm when the noise started.
Cameron went on from Grade 8 to graduate from highschool and attend neighborhood school. He has a job at a automotive dealership.
Kevin stayed in highschool till he was 21 after which moved on to an grownup day program, which he attends to at the present time.
Cameron and Kevin had not seen one another in virtually a decade when sooner or later I acquired a direct message on my X (previously Twitter) app.
Cameron watches a number of TSN and would see me on the air speaking soccer. He puzzled how Kevin was doing, so sooner or later he determined to succeed in out and ask.
I hadn’t seen Cameron since their Grade 8 commencement, so he needed to remind me who he was and the way he knew my son.
I might get periodic messages from Cameron from that time on, usually commenting on one thing I used to be doing on TSN and all the time asking about Kevin.
A short while later, we grew to become Fb associates. That gave me a glimpse into Cameron’s life. He appeared to be a really constructive younger man with an amazing love of sports activities, particularly soccer.
That’s once I had an concept. I invited Cameron over to see Kevin.
Cameron arrived late one afternoon, and the 2 younger males sat on the kitchen desk collectively. I talked to Cameron and requested him about his life and what he’d been doing over the previous decade.
Because the three of us went for a stroll that day, he stuffed my ears with questions on Kevin that my son couldn’t reply for himself.
Right here was somebody who understood Kevin and understood autism.
I invited Cameron to begin spending time with Kevin, particularly throughout occasions once I’m tied up with work and may’t pay him as a lot consideration as I would love.
Cameron cherished the thought. And in that second, a friendship was reborn.
Cameron and Kevin spend time collectively each week. They go for walks, they play video video games, they do jigsaw puzzles, they watch films collectively and so they go for ice cream.
A short time after this started, I requested Kevin sooner or later, “Who’s Cameron?”
He gave me one-word reply again, a phrase he has by no means utilized to anybody else in his life.
“Buddy,” he stated.
Cameron is really Kevin’s buddy, and he’s a darn good one.
Kevin and Cameron’s reunion consists of the coincidence that Cameron has a near-obsession with the topic that consumes a lot of my time – soccer.
It’s common for many individuals with autism to develop very centered pursuits or expertise.
For Kevin, it’s 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzles, which he knocks-off by the dozen over the course of a month.
For Cameron it’s watching any type of soccer – school soccer, NFL soccer and his beloved Toronto Argonauts, for whom he’s a season-ticket holder and critical fan, attending each dwelling sport and viewing occasions for highway video games.
So sure, I knew we had been going to get alongside.
Cameron loves to speak to me about all sports activities, however particularly soccer, and the issues I’ve seen and locations I’m going for my job. I like to share my tales with him, textual content him photographs from my travels, and sometimes carry him souvenirs.
Cameron has turn out to be one of the vital folks in Kevin’s world and has modified his life.
That’s my celebration on this World Autism Consciousness Day.
Autism is a journey, one the place it’s vital to rejoice little miracles alongside the way in which.
On this World Autism Consciousness Day, I’d prefer to share an uplifting story about my son, Kevin, and his buddy, Cameron.
Kevin and Cameron met roughly 10 years in the past once they had been collectively in a Grade 8 class for college students with autism. Cameron was among the many high-functioning college students, and Kevin, nicely, he was not.
Kevin has the flexibility to talk in phrases and perceive most of what’s stated to him. However he’s not adept at dialog and doesn’t have the flexibility to navigate the world by himself.
After they had been in class collectively, Cameron would take note of the issues he knew can be onerous for Kevin, like hearth alarm drills. On these days he would ensure that to sit down close to Kevin to assist preserve him calm when the noise started.
Cameron went on from Grade 8 to graduate from highschool and attend neighborhood school. He has a job at a automotive dealership.
Kevin stayed in highschool till he was 21 after which moved on to an grownup day program, which he attends to at the present time.
Cameron and Kevin had not seen one another in virtually a decade when sooner or later I acquired a direct message on my X (previously Twitter) app.
Cameron watches a number of TSN and would see me on the air speaking soccer. He puzzled how Kevin was doing, so sooner or later he determined to succeed in out and ask.
I hadn’t seen Cameron since their Grade 8 commencement, so he needed to remind me who he was and the way he knew my son.
I might get periodic messages from Cameron from that time on, usually commenting on one thing I used to be doing on TSN and all the time asking about Kevin.
A short while later, we grew to become Fb associates. That gave me a glimpse into Cameron’s life. He appeared to be a really constructive younger man with an amazing love of sports activities, particularly soccer.
That’s once I had an concept. I invited Cameron over to see Kevin.
Cameron arrived late one afternoon, and the 2 younger males sat on the kitchen desk collectively. I talked to Cameron and requested him about his life and what he’d been doing over the previous decade.
Because the three of us went for a stroll that day, he stuffed my ears with questions on Kevin that my son couldn’t reply for himself.
Right here was somebody who understood Kevin and understood autism.
I invited Cameron to begin spending time with Kevin, particularly throughout occasions once I’m tied up with work and may’t pay him as a lot consideration as I would love.
Cameron cherished the thought. And in that second, a friendship was reborn.
Cameron and Kevin spend time collectively each week. They go for walks, they play video video games, they do jigsaw puzzles, they watch films collectively and so they go for ice cream.
A short time after this started, I requested Kevin sooner or later, “Who’s Cameron?”
He gave me one-word reply again, a phrase he has by no means utilized to anybody else in his life.
“Buddy,” he stated.
Cameron is really Kevin’s buddy, and he’s a darn good one.
Kevin and Cameron’s reunion consists of the coincidence that Cameron has a near-obsession with the topic that consumes a lot of my time – soccer.
It’s common for many individuals with autism to develop very centered pursuits or expertise.
For Kevin, it’s 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzles, which he knocks-off by the dozen over the course of a month.
For Cameron it’s watching any type of soccer – school soccer, NFL soccer and his beloved Toronto Argonauts, for whom he’s a season-ticket holder and critical fan, attending each dwelling sport and viewing occasions for highway video games.
So sure, I knew we had been going to get alongside.
Cameron loves to speak to me about all sports activities, however particularly soccer, and the issues I’ve seen and locations I’m going for my job. I like to share my tales with him, textual content him photographs from my travels, and sometimes carry him souvenirs.
Cameron has turn out to be one of the vital folks in Kevin’s world and has modified his life.
That’s my celebration on this World Autism Consciousness Day.
Autism is a journey, one the place it’s vital to rejoice little miracles alongside the way in which.
On this World Autism Consciousness Day, I’d prefer to share an uplifting story about my son, Kevin, and his buddy, Cameron.
Kevin and Cameron met roughly 10 years in the past once they had been collectively in a Grade 8 class for college students with autism. Cameron was among the many high-functioning college students, and Kevin, nicely, he was not.
Kevin has the flexibility to talk in phrases and perceive most of what’s stated to him. However he’s not adept at dialog and doesn’t have the flexibility to navigate the world by himself.
After they had been in class collectively, Cameron would take note of the issues he knew can be onerous for Kevin, like hearth alarm drills. On these days he would ensure that to sit down close to Kevin to assist preserve him calm when the noise started.
Cameron went on from Grade 8 to graduate from highschool and attend neighborhood school. He has a job at a automotive dealership.
Kevin stayed in highschool till he was 21 after which moved on to an grownup day program, which he attends to at the present time.
Cameron and Kevin had not seen one another in virtually a decade when sooner or later I acquired a direct message on my X (previously Twitter) app.
Cameron watches a number of TSN and would see me on the air speaking soccer. He puzzled how Kevin was doing, so sooner or later he determined to succeed in out and ask.
I hadn’t seen Cameron since their Grade 8 commencement, so he needed to remind me who he was and the way he knew my son.
I might get periodic messages from Cameron from that time on, usually commenting on one thing I used to be doing on TSN and all the time asking about Kevin.
A short while later, we grew to become Fb associates. That gave me a glimpse into Cameron’s life. He appeared to be a really constructive younger man with an amazing love of sports activities, particularly soccer.
That’s once I had an concept. I invited Cameron over to see Kevin.
Cameron arrived late one afternoon, and the 2 younger males sat on the kitchen desk collectively. I talked to Cameron and requested him about his life and what he’d been doing over the previous decade.
Because the three of us went for a stroll that day, he stuffed my ears with questions on Kevin that my son couldn’t reply for himself.
Right here was somebody who understood Kevin and understood autism.
I invited Cameron to begin spending time with Kevin, particularly throughout occasions once I’m tied up with work and may’t pay him as a lot consideration as I would love.
Cameron cherished the thought. And in that second, a friendship was reborn.
Cameron and Kevin spend time collectively each week. They go for walks, they play video video games, they do jigsaw puzzles, they watch films collectively and so they go for ice cream.
A short time after this started, I requested Kevin sooner or later, “Who’s Cameron?”
He gave me one-word reply again, a phrase he has by no means utilized to anybody else in his life.
“Buddy,” he stated.
Cameron is really Kevin’s buddy, and he’s a darn good one.
Kevin and Cameron’s reunion consists of the coincidence that Cameron has a near-obsession with the topic that consumes a lot of my time – soccer.
It’s common for many individuals with autism to develop very centered pursuits or expertise.
For Kevin, it’s 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzles, which he knocks-off by the dozen over the course of a month.
For Cameron it’s watching any type of soccer – school soccer, NFL soccer and his beloved Toronto Argonauts, for whom he’s a season-ticket holder and critical fan, attending each dwelling sport and viewing occasions for highway video games.
So sure, I knew we had been going to get alongside.
Cameron loves to speak to me about all sports activities, however particularly soccer, and the issues I’ve seen and locations I’m going for my job. I like to share my tales with him, textual content him photographs from my travels, and sometimes carry him souvenirs.
Cameron has turn out to be one of the vital folks in Kevin’s world and has modified his life.
That’s my celebration on this World Autism Consciousness Day.
Autism is a journey, one the place it’s vital to rejoice little miracles alongside the way in which.
On this World Autism Consciousness Day, I’d prefer to share an uplifting story about my son, Kevin, and his buddy, Cameron.
Kevin and Cameron met roughly 10 years in the past once they had been collectively in a Grade 8 class for college students with autism. Cameron was among the many high-functioning college students, and Kevin, nicely, he was not.
Kevin has the flexibility to talk in phrases and perceive most of what’s stated to him. However he’s not adept at dialog and doesn’t have the flexibility to navigate the world by himself.
After they had been in class collectively, Cameron would take note of the issues he knew can be onerous for Kevin, like hearth alarm drills. On these days he would ensure that to sit down close to Kevin to assist preserve him calm when the noise started.
Cameron went on from Grade 8 to graduate from highschool and attend neighborhood school. He has a job at a automotive dealership.
Kevin stayed in highschool till he was 21 after which moved on to an grownup day program, which he attends to at the present time.
Cameron and Kevin had not seen one another in virtually a decade when sooner or later I acquired a direct message on my X (previously Twitter) app.
Cameron watches a number of TSN and would see me on the air speaking soccer. He puzzled how Kevin was doing, so sooner or later he determined to succeed in out and ask.
I hadn’t seen Cameron since their Grade 8 commencement, so he needed to remind me who he was and the way he knew my son.
I might get periodic messages from Cameron from that time on, usually commenting on one thing I used to be doing on TSN and all the time asking about Kevin.
A short while later, we grew to become Fb associates. That gave me a glimpse into Cameron’s life. He appeared to be a really constructive younger man with an amazing love of sports activities, particularly soccer.
That’s once I had an concept. I invited Cameron over to see Kevin.
Cameron arrived late one afternoon, and the 2 younger males sat on the kitchen desk collectively. I talked to Cameron and requested him about his life and what he’d been doing over the previous decade.
Because the three of us went for a stroll that day, he stuffed my ears with questions on Kevin that my son couldn’t reply for himself.
Right here was somebody who understood Kevin and understood autism.
I invited Cameron to begin spending time with Kevin, particularly throughout occasions once I’m tied up with work and may’t pay him as a lot consideration as I would love.
Cameron cherished the thought. And in that second, a friendship was reborn.
Cameron and Kevin spend time collectively each week. They go for walks, they play video video games, they do jigsaw puzzles, they watch films collectively and so they go for ice cream.
A short time after this started, I requested Kevin sooner or later, “Who’s Cameron?”
He gave me one-word reply again, a phrase he has by no means utilized to anybody else in his life.
“Buddy,” he stated.
Cameron is really Kevin’s buddy, and he’s a darn good one.
Kevin and Cameron’s reunion consists of the coincidence that Cameron has a near-obsession with the topic that consumes a lot of my time – soccer.
It’s common for many individuals with autism to develop very centered pursuits or expertise.
For Kevin, it’s 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzles, which he knocks-off by the dozen over the course of a month.
For Cameron it’s watching any type of soccer – school soccer, NFL soccer and his beloved Toronto Argonauts, for whom he’s a season-ticket holder and critical fan, attending each dwelling sport and viewing occasions for highway video games.
So sure, I knew we had been going to get alongside.
Cameron loves to speak to me about all sports activities, however particularly soccer, and the issues I’ve seen and locations I’m going for my job. I like to share my tales with him, textual content him photographs from my travels, and sometimes carry him souvenirs.
Cameron has turn out to be one of the vital folks in Kevin’s world and has modified his life.
That’s my celebration on this World Autism Consciousness Day.
Autism is a journey, one the place it’s vital to rejoice little miracles alongside the way in which.
On this World Autism Consciousness Day, I’d prefer to share an uplifting story about my son, Kevin, and his buddy, Cameron.
Kevin and Cameron met roughly 10 years in the past once they had been collectively in a Grade 8 class for college students with autism. Cameron was among the many high-functioning college students, and Kevin, nicely, he was not.
Kevin has the flexibility to talk in phrases and perceive most of what’s stated to him. However he’s not adept at dialog and doesn’t have the flexibility to navigate the world by himself.
After they had been in class collectively, Cameron would take note of the issues he knew can be onerous for Kevin, like hearth alarm drills. On these days he would ensure that to sit down close to Kevin to assist preserve him calm when the noise started.
Cameron went on from Grade 8 to graduate from highschool and attend neighborhood school. He has a job at a automotive dealership.
Kevin stayed in highschool till he was 21 after which moved on to an grownup day program, which he attends to at the present time.
Cameron and Kevin had not seen one another in virtually a decade when sooner or later I acquired a direct message on my X (previously Twitter) app.
Cameron watches a number of TSN and would see me on the air speaking soccer. He puzzled how Kevin was doing, so sooner or later he determined to succeed in out and ask.
I hadn’t seen Cameron since their Grade 8 commencement, so he needed to remind me who he was and the way he knew my son.
I might get periodic messages from Cameron from that time on, usually commenting on one thing I used to be doing on TSN and all the time asking about Kevin.
A short while later, we grew to become Fb associates. That gave me a glimpse into Cameron’s life. He appeared to be a really constructive younger man with an amazing love of sports activities, particularly soccer.
That’s once I had an concept. I invited Cameron over to see Kevin.
Cameron arrived late one afternoon, and the 2 younger males sat on the kitchen desk collectively. I talked to Cameron and requested him about his life and what he’d been doing over the previous decade.
Because the three of us went for a stroll that day, he stuffed my ears with questions on Kevin that my son couldn’t reply for himself.
Right here was somebody who understood Kevin and understood autism.
I invited Cameron to begin spending time with Kevin, particularly throughout occasions once I’m tied up with work and may’t pay him as a lot consideration as I would love.
Cameron cherished the thought. And in that second, a friendship was reborn.
Cameron and Kevin spend time collectively each week. They go for walks, they play video video games, they do jigsaw puzzles, they watch films collectively and so they go for ice cream.
A short time after this started, I requested Kevin sooner or later, “Who’s Cameron?”
He gave me one-word reply again, a phrase he has by no means utilized to anybody else in his life.
“Buddy,” he stated.
Cameron is really Kevin’s buddy, and he’s a darn good one.
Kevin and Cameron’s reunion consists of the coincidence that Cameron has a near-obsession with the topic that consumes a lot of my time – soccer.
It’s common for many individuals with autism to develop very centered pursuits or expertise.
For Kevin, it’s 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzles, which he knocks-off by the dozen over the course of a month.
For Cameron it’s watching any type of soccer – school soccer, NFL soccer and his beloved Toronto Argonauts, for whom he’s a season-ticket holder and critical fan, attending each dwelling sport and viewing occasions for highway video games.
So sure, I knew we had been going to get alongside.
Cameron loves to speak to me about all sports activities, however particularly soccer, and the issues I’ve seen and locations I’m going for my job. I like to share my tales with him, textual content him photographs from my travels, and sometimes carry him souvenirs.
Cameron has turn out to be one of the vital folks in Kevin’s world and has modified his life.
That’s my celebration on this World Autism Consciousness Day.
Autism is a journey, one the place it’s vital to rejoice little miracles alongside the way in which.
On this World Autism Consciousness Day, I’d prefer to share an uplifting story about my son, Kevin, and his buddy, Cameron.
Kevin and Cameron met roughly 10 years in the past once they had been collectively in a Grade 8 class for college students with autism. Cameron was among the many high-functioning college students, and Kevin, nicely, he was not.
Kevin has the flexibility to talk in phrases and perceive most of what’s stated to him. However he’s not adept at dialog and doesn’t have the flexibility to navigate the world by himself.
After they had been in class collectively, Cameron would take note of the issues he knew can be onerous for Kevin, like hearth alarm drills. On these days he would ensure that to sit down close to Kevin to assist preserve him calm when the noise started.
Cameron went on from Grade 8 to graduate from highschool and attend neighborhood school. He has a job at a automotive dealership.
Kevin stayed in highschool till he was 21 after which moved on to an grownup day program, which he attends to at the present time.
Cameron and Kevin had not seen one another in virtually a decade when sooner or later I acquired a direct message on my X (previously Twitter) app.
Cameron watches a number of TSN and would see me on the air speaking soccer. He puzzled how Kevin was doing, so sooner or later he determined to succeed in out and ask.
I hadn’t seen Cameron since their Grade 8 commencement, so he needed to remind me who he was and the way he knew my son.
I might get periodic messages from Cameron from that time on, usually commenting on one thing I used to be doing on TSN and all the time asking about Kevin.
A short while later, we grew to become Fb associates. That gave me a glimpse into Cameron’s life. He appeared to be a really constructive younger man with an amazing love of sports activities, particularly soccer.
That’s once I had an concept. I invited Cameron over to see Kevin.
Cameron arrived late one afternoon, and the 2 younger males sat on the kitchen desk collectively. I talked to Cameron and requested him about his life and what he’d been doing over the previous decade.
Because the three of us went for a stroll that day, he stuffed my ears with questions on Kevin that my son couldn’t reply for himself.
Right here was somebody who understood Kevin and understood autism.
I invited Cameron to begin spending time with Kevin, particularly throughout occasions once I’m tied up with work and may’t pay him as a lot consideration as I would love.
Cameron cherished the thought. And in that second, a friendship was reborn.
Cameron and Kevin spend time collectively each week. They go for walks, they play video video games, they do jigsaw puzzles, they watch films collectively and so they go for ice cream.
A short time after this started, I requested Kevin sooner or later, “Who’s Cameron?”
He gave me one-word reply again, a phrase he has by no means utilized to anybody else in his life.
“Buddy,” he stated.
Cameron is really Kevin’s buddy, and he’s a darn good one.
Kevin and Cameron’s reunion consists of the coincidence that Cameron has a near-obsession with the topic that consumes a lot of my time – soccer.
It’s common for many individuals with autism to develop very centered pursuits or expertise.
For Kevin, it’s 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzles, which he knocks-off by the dozen over the course of a month.
For Cameron it’s watching any type of soccer – school soccer, NFL soccer and his beloved Toronto Argonauts, for whom he’s a season-ticket holder and critical fan, attending each dwelling sport and viewing occasions for highway video games.
So sure, I knew we had been going to get alongside.
Cameron loves to speak to me about all sports activities, however particularly soccer, and the issues I’ve seen and locations I’m going for my job. I like to share my tales with him, textual content him photographs from my travels, and sometimes carry him souvenirs.
Cameron has turn out to be one of the vital folks in Kevin’s world and has modified his life.
That’s my celebration on this World Autism Consciousness Day.
Autism is a journey, one the place it’s vital to rejoice little miracles alongside the way in which.
On this World Autism Consciousness Day, I’d prefer to share an uplifting story about my son, Kevin, and his buddy, Cameron.
Kevin and Cameron met roughly 10 years in the past once they had been collectively in a Grade 8 class for college students with autism. Cameron was among the many high-functioning college students, and Kevin, nicely, he was not.
Kevin has the flexibility to talk in phrases and perceive most of what’s stated to him. However he’s not adept at dialog and doesn’t have the flexibility to navigate the world by himself.
After they had been in class collectively, Cameron would take note of the issues he knew can be onerous for Kevin, like hearth alarm drills. On these days he would ensure that to sit down close to Kevin to assist preserve him calm when the noise started.
Cameron went on from Grade 8 to graduate from highschool and attend neighborhood school. He has a job at a automotive dealership.
Kevin stayed in highschool till he was 21 after which moved on to an grownup day program, which he attends to at the present time.
Cameron and Kevin had not seen one another in virtually a decade when sooner or later I acquired a direct message on my X (previously Twitter) app.
Cameron watches a number of TSN and would see me on the air speaking soccer. He puzzled how Kevin was doing, so sooner or later he determined to succeed in out and ask.
I hadn’t seen Cameron since their Grade 8 commencement, so he needed to remind me who he was and the way he knew my son.
I might get periodic messages from Cameron from that time on, usually commenting on one thing I used to be doing on TSN and all the time asking about Kevin.
A short while later, we grew to become Fb associates. That gave me a glimpse into Cameron’s life. He appeared to be a really constructive younger man with an amazing love of sports activities, particularly soccer.
That’s once I had an concept. I invited Cameron over to see Kevin.
Cameron arrived late one afternoon, and the 2 younger males sat on the kitchen desk collectively. I talked to Cameron and requested him about his life and what he’d been doing over the previous decade.
Because the three of us went for a stroll that day, he stuffed my ears with questions on Kevin that my son couldn’t reply for himself.
Right here was somebody who understood Kevin and understood autism.
I invited Cameron to begin spending time with Kevin, particularly throughout occasions once I’m tied up with work and may’t pay him as a lot consideration as I would love.
Cameron cherished the thought. And in that second, a friendship was reborn.
Cameron and Kevin spend time collectively each week. They go for walks, they play video video games, they do jigsaw puzzles, they watch films collectively and so they go for ice cream.
A short time after this started, I requested Kevin sooner or later, “Who’s Cameron?”
He gave me one-word reply again, a phrase he has by no means utilized to anybody else in his life.
“Buddy,” he stated.
Cameron is really Kevin’s buddy, and he’s a darn good one.
Kevin and Cameron’s reunion consists of the coincidence that Cameron has a near-obsession with the topic that consumes a lot of my time – soccer.
It’s common for many individuals with autism to develop very centered pursuits or expertise.
For Kevin, it’s 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzles, which he knocks-off by the dozen over the course of a month.
For Cameron it’s watching any type of soccer – school soccer, NFL soccer and his beloved Toronto Argonauts, for whom he’s a season-ticket holder and critical fan, attending each dwelling sport and viewing occasions for highway video games.
So sure, I knew we had been going to get alongside.
Cameron loves to speak to me about all sports activities, however particularly soccer, and the issues I’ve seen and locations I’m going for my job. I like to share my tales with him, textual content him photographs from my travels, and sometimes carry him souvenirs.
Cameron has turn out to be one of the vital folks in Kevin’s world and has modified his life.
That’s my celebration on this World Autism Consciousness Day.
Autism is a journey, one the place it’s vital to rejoice little miracles alongside the way in which.
On this World Autism Consciousness Day, I’d prefer to share an uplifting story about my son, Kevin, and his buddy, Cameron.
Kevin and Cameron met roughly 10 years in the past once they had been collectively in a Grade 8 class for college students with autism. Cameron was among the many high-functioning college students, and Kevin, nicely, he was not.
Kevin has the flexibility to talk in phrases and perceive most of what’s stated to him. However he’s not adept at dialog and doesn’t have the flexibility to navigate the world by himself.
After they had been in class collectively, Cameron would take note of the issues he knew can be onerous for Kevin, like hearth alarm drills. On these days he would ensure that to sit down close to Kevin to assist preserve him calm when the noise started.
Cameron went on from Grade 8 to graduate from highschool and attend neighborhood school. He has a job at a automotive dealership.
Kevin stayed in highschool till he was 21 after which moved on to an grownup day program, which he attends to at the present time.
Cameron and Kevin had not seen one another in virtually a decade when sooner or later I acquired a direct message on my X (previously Twitter) app.
Cameron watches a number of TSN and would see me on the air speaking soccer. He puzzled how Kevin was doing, so sooner or later he determined to succeed in out and ask.
I hadn’t seen Cameron since their Grade 8 commencement, so he needed to remind me who he was and the way he knew my son.
I might get periodic messages from Cameron from that time on, usually commenting on one thing I used to be doing on TSN and all the time asking about Kevin.
A short while later, we grew to become Fb associates. That gave me a glimpse into Cameron’s life. He appeared to be a really constructive younger man with an amazing love of sports activities, particularly soccer.
That’s once I had an concept. I invited Cameron over to see Kevin.
Cameron arrived late one afternoon, and the 2 younger males sat on the kitchen desk collectively. I talked to Cameron and requested him about his life and what he’d been doing over the previous decade.
Because the three of us went for a stroll that day, he stuffed my ears with questions on Kevin that my son couldn’t reply for himself.
Right here was somebody who understood Kevin and understood autism.
I invited Cameron to begin spending time with Kevin, particularly throughout occasions once I’m tied up with work and may’t pay him as a lot consideration as I would love.
Cameron cherished the thought. And in that second, a friendship was reborn.
Cameron and Kevin spend time collectively each week. They go for walks, they play video video games, they do jigsaw puzzles, they watch films collectively and so they go for ice cream.
A short time after this started, I requested Kevin sooner or later, “Who’s Cameron?”
He gave me one-word reply again, a phrase he has by no means utilized to anybody else in his life.
“Buddy,” he stated.
Cameron is really Kevin’s buddy, and he’s a darn good one.
Kevin and Cameron’s reunion consists of the coincidence that Cameron has a near-obsession with the topic that consumes a lot of my time – soccer.
It’s common for many individuals with autism to develop very centered pursuits or expertise.
For Kevin, it’s 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzles, which he knocks-off by the dozen over the course of a month.
For Cameron it’s watching any type of soccer – school soccer, NFL soccer and his beloved Toronto Argonauts, for whom he’s a season-ticket holder and critical fan, attending each dwelling sport and viewing occasions for highway video games.
So sure, I knew we had been going to get alongside.
Cameron loves to speak to me about all sports activities, however particularly soccer, and the issues I’ve seen and locations I’m going for my job. I like to share my tales with him, textual content him photographs from my travels, and sometimes carry him souvenirs.
Cameron has turn out to be one of the vital folks in Kevin’s world and has modified his life.
That’s my celebration on this World Autism Consciousness Day.
Autism is a journey, one the place it’s vital to rejoice little miracles alongside the way in which.