My name is James,
I am 27
On 22 November, 1989, I was Diagnosed with Autism by Captain J. Jeff Oatley of the US Army in Mannheim, Germany. I was 3 years old at this time. My mom knew something wasn't normal with me from birth. My early childhood isn't something I have many memories of, except the snow, the playground behind our building, and our flight back to the states when I was 5. I didn't speak until I was almost 4.
We moved to San Antonio, Texas when I had just turned 6. The schools I went to did everything they could to not provide services for me, and tried brushing it off as ADHD, Mental Retardation, or tried labeling me as Emotionally Disturbed. They kept fighting with my mom, but my mom never gave them ground. My mom was Military Police, and still takes no nonsense from anyone. They also refused to stop the bullying that I was subjected to for the most part. They also kept saying I would never amount to much, though I was an honor student from age 6 to 14 when we moved to Sonoma County, California in 2001.
My freshman year at Windsor High School changed everything. I had a knife pulled on me by a bully when I was 15 that year. I put the bully down and nearly out. My school sent me home to cool off, while the other guy went to the ER, then lockup. The bullying stopped that year, and then I took up JROTC for Civil Air Patrol, which turned into Volunteer Search & Rescue the next year. I now have 8 years on SAR teams, and 5 years in Security, including 2 in Vegas. I've seen much more than even all this.
I have since traveled the US, driving from Vegas to NC in just 2 days last year, after buying a new car. I now am near my girlfriend Sarah who also has Autism. We met over 3 years ago. To you parents, Autism's a Challenge, not a Defeat. It's time to rise.
Charlotte, NC
