We recently celebrated World Autism Awareness Day, in which, in addition to raising awareness about this disorder, many people share their testimony as parents, siblings or friends of people with autism so that others can better understand it.
One of them is the beautiful testimony shared by a girl, who has three younger brothers who suffer from autism, and shows us that there are many more of them and this disorder is not something that defines them in their entirety.
Ali Carbone is the oldest of four children, in a family where they are very familiar with autism, because Ali's three younger brothers suffer from it.
A few days ago, and on the occasion of World Autism Awareness Day, Ali shared a message on his Facebook account, where he tells the particular experience his family has lived, and how Each of his brothers is a unique person, who deserves to be treated with respect and compassion..
In Babies and more Let's break down barriers to autism together: how we can help children with this disorderOn April 3, 1994, autism appeared in my life and that of my parents. He would appear again on July 27, 1999, and again on August 2, 2001. 10 years ago, I should have explained to people what autism was, when they met Michael, Anthony and Luke.
Today it is common that you have lived, loved or known some child or adult with autism. The spectrum is wide, and it is perfectly represented under a single roof in my house. There are no two autistic people who are equal, and for many, autisms are just the beginning of cognitive and developmental disorders that they will have to deal with for the rest of their lives.
My biggest brother is nonverbal, blind and epileptic. My middle brother is verbal, social and suffers from severe compulsive obsessive disorder. My youngest sister is mildly verbal and hyperactive. But in spite of everything, these characteristics do not define them.
Michael loves watching old Disney movies and would be happy giving kisses and hugs all day, every day. Anthony really believes that he is Michael Jackson and will defeat you in any competition. Luke loves to run and spend time outdoors, and will take any opportunity to annoy his older brother. This is how they are.
This is a rare photograph of everyone well dressed and smiling. Something so simple for you and your family, it is virtually impossible for mine. This month and from now on, do your best to be kind. If you see a child waving his arms, don't laugh. If you see an adult having a tantrum, don't observe it. If they want to hug you or bump your palms, don't avoid them. A smile from a stranger can literally change our day
Ali's post has been filled with positive comments that applaud his message, both for the fact of showing how people with autism really are, and for the love he has for his brothers, which can be seen with the naked eye in his words .
Autism is different in each person who presents it, but as Ali says, it is not the only thing that defines them. His personality and his way of being are the things that really tell us who they are, and in the case of Ali's brothers, we can see three people with a big heart, who live in a family full of love and compassion.
In Babies and more, parents get the same tattoo in honor of their daughter with autismAli hopes that with his message, more people will be aware of the situation that many adults with autism live and in addition there is a greater interest in offering support, since there are few places that offer accommodation for them and many families are worried about what will happen to them or who will take care of them when their parents or siblings die.
"You would be surprised to know how many people believe that having a group of people is autism living in a shared home on the same street, could affect them negatively.", he says to Parents, hoping that more people will be understanding, inclusive and interested in supporting small organizations that seek to support children and adults with autism.
