Better to be Different / Facebook Mother of Boy with Autism 'Blown Away' by Stranger's Response to Son's Meltdown on Beach Ian Shelley was out for a run, training for a 250-mile race, when he spotted unhappy Rudy and paused to talk to him. By Amanda Thomason April 16, 2021
Ryan Lowry / LinkedIn screen shot Student with Autism Writes Cover Letter Asking Employers to 'Take a Chance on Me' The note, straightforward and honest, netted Ryan over 177,000 reactions and nearly 6,000 comments. By Amanda Thomason March 18, 2021
KTHV-TV / Video screen shot Airline Boots Family from Flight Because Autistic 4-Year-Old Can't Wear a Mask 'So we're out all of our flights, a thousand bucks and we have a son who's just so distraught now,' the boy's mother said after the incident. By Kipp Jones March 16, 2021
John Lamparski / Getty Images Kennedy Family Member Kicked Off Instagram for Questioning COVID Vaccines Kennedy, a vocal vaccine critic, had 800,000 Instagram followers before the account’s removal. By Nicole Silverio February 11, 2021
WGNO / Video screen shot Family Saved from House Fire Thanks to Non-Verbal 5-Year-Old with Autism The Greens lost everything they owned - but Jessica was clear that they had still experienced the best possible outcome. By Amanda Thomason January 2, 2021
tephane De Sakutin / AFP via Getty Images Woman Born Without Hands Denied Entry Into Bookstore for Not Wearing Mask Elisabeth Walker-Young is a former Paralympian who can't put a mask on herself, but the Order of Canada recipient was turned away anyhow. By C. Douglas Golden December 19, 2020
Matthew's Flags / Facebook screen shot Florida Teenager with Autism Does Surprising Thing to American Flags 'I keep telling him he needs to start his business soon because I can't afford to keep buying him all these parts.' By Erin Coates November 29, 2020
haleymcguire23 / TikTok screen shot Non-Verbal Boy with Autism Says Name for Very First Time During Heartwarming TikTok Video Young Micah grins the biggest grin as everyone celebrates, and does a flip with the help of another family member. By Amanda Thomason September 24, 2020
Stockton Police Department / Facebook Officer Comes Up with Clever Solution To Help Nonverbal Child with Autism Find Family Parents of children with autism have especially voiced their gratitude and offered other helpful suggestions as well. By Amanda Thomason September 19, 2020
Myka Stauffer / YouTube screen shot) Companies Cut Ties with YouTube Mom After She Rehomed Adopted Child with Autism She and her husband came to the decision to find their son, Huxley, a 'new forever family' after taking care of him as their own for years. By Morgan Brantley June 3, 2020