Yesterday my son graduated from a Community Transition Program which is a post-High School program for students with developmental disabilities.
Some of you may know of Wes due to my diaries:
http://www.dailykos.com/...
http://www.dailykos.com/...
http://www.dailykos.com/...
Yesterday I sat in a room full of heroes. My son was just one of many.
Wes' Reflection Speech:
In 1962, The James Bond Franchise started. 30 years later, I was born. I was a handsome, happy baby. I was a good baby. I was a quiet baby. So quiet that at one point, the doctors thought maybe I was deaf. My Mom and Dad made many trips over the Golden Gate Bridge to hospitals and universities. Lots of questions but not many answers. When I was diagnosed with autism, it was 1 out of 10 thousand. My parents, no one - really - knew much about autism. It was a big mystery. Now it's 1 out of 165 and it still is a mystery.
My parents had to fight for my right to go to school, to get an education, to be seen as a student. I think dealing with the schools in California was more exhausting for my parents than having to learn how to be my tour guide in life.
My parents were always asked, "What are your dreams and goals for Wesley?" And they always stuck to the game plan that all they wanted for me was to have the tools and skills needed to learn how to survive in this world as an autistic person. To be able to make my own goals and make my own dreams.
Accepting new things, taking chances and changes are very hard for me and probably always will be. I didn't want to leave Southridge or my friends. I didn't want to come to CTP and start all over. Now I don't want to leave. I will miss you all. But I know I must move on. I know that I have the skills and tools to to take the steps to be successful in whatever goals I make for myself. It's always going to be a bit scary, it's always going to be a bit harder for me, but now I have the experiences and the confidence to step up to the plate and start dreaming big.
Steve helped me achieve a big dream. To be a part of the Portland Winterhawks team. All my life and all the great and wonderful things in it - have always been about hockey. I don't really remember being a baby or much of anything like that but I can always remember hockey. I know hockey. I can explain every sight, sound and fantastic aspect of the game. I want to thank Steve, CTP staff and everyone at the Winterhawks organization for believing in me and my dream. It was my first dream. I was able to take something I love and use it to help other classmates. My proudest time was being on the sports news and talking on the radio to help promote the CTP Benefit Hockey Game.
I hope I can continue to be with the team but I had three wonderful seasons with a group of hockey heroes. People who work very hard to be the best they can be. Just like everyone else in this room today. We are all somebody's heroes.
I've never really liked to talk about autism. But I think some parts of autism help me see things differently from other people. I don't think it's always good but I've learned that it's not always bad either. It's helped me be an incredible hockey fan. I can be really amazing with facts, stats and movie quotes. I know everything there is to know about James Bond and the Beach Boys. Not many people can memorize movie lines. I think I could be a really good actor and who knows, I might work with Taylor Swift one day in a romantic comedy...
I would love to take classes during the week, work Winterhawk games on nights and weekends and hang out with friends and continue supporting local charities. I need to keep learning how to ask for help. How to not get frustrated. How to keep going when all you want to do is give up. I will have to fight for myself and be my best assist and score big goals. Kinda like a Gordie Howe Hat trick.
Here's some more of my dreams for my near future:
I want to be an artist and go to Art School.
I want to create a blogtography that has my digital photos of how I see my days and time here in Oregon. Where I can share my thoughts and explain how life is a lot like hockey. "He who retaliates; gets caught". Where I can wonder online why caring for the best cat is usually the cat some horrible jerk threw away.
I want to learn how to drive a car safely. I may never be able to have a driver's license but I think it would be cool to learn anyways.
I want to apply to the family edition of The Amazing Race.
I think I would like to travel around the world and help people who are hungry.
I want to be able to keep coming up with dreams.
I know that I can always make more dreams because even though I don't understand my autism and it sometimes makes me really mad, sad and even lonely, Steve and my parents have taught me that I can do anything I set my mind to. My disability can also be my incredibility.
On the sports show, I said that CTP was like a college for people with disabilities. It's more than that. It helps you be a better person. I'm so proud that we all have been able to help others in our community. We have bagged food for the hungry. Shared truckloads of school supplies. Raised money for local charities and we have held lost kittens who need a good home. I am very proud that I vote and I want my voice and all of our voices to always be heard and respected. The one main thing I will forever take from CTP is determination to continue being a contributing member of my community.
September 3, I was born. Now I am about to embark on the greatest journey - to find out why.
Thank you.