Success Stories
| << Back |
Brian's Words of Wisdom
Usually, if a teenager wants to try out for an extracurricular activity in school, he just signs up without asking permission or assistance.
But Brian’s situation was different, because Brian has autism. This means that he has extreme difficulties forming relationships with anyone, even his own family members. He likes to maintain a strict regimen and hold every one else to it as well. If a schedule changes, his mom Sue said, "His whole day is shot."
While in high school, Brian expressed interest in joining the football team and participating in golf, but he couldn't do it without help. His mom called one of United Way’s partners to help match Brian with a mentor to can provide him with the one-on-one attention he needed to play. The mentors explain the coach's instructions in a way that the child can understand, and they can attend to the child's special needs.
"Because of the his involvement, Brian has become an all-around kid," Sue said. "His goals are very high. His self-esteem is just great." She said before Brian got involved in football and golf he had a very hard time developing friendships, or even starting a simple conversation. Eye contact was very difficult for Brian. When other students said hi to him in the halls at school, he never used to respond.
"When he first started football, he was kind of the oddball," Sue said. "But he got to the point where he was one of them."
Sue said a teammate missing Brian's post-game speeches called him the night before he went to state championships for wrestling. He said he wanted some of Brian's "words of wisdom."
A world of opportunities has opened for Brian just by helping him participate in sports. It has helped him form relationships with other people, and it has taught him to understand and tolerate change. He has honed the skill of time management, by juggling farm chores, sports practice and homework each day.
His mother's hopes for Brian are the same as any parent: She wants him to be able to live as independently as possible and maybe even further his education. Your investment in United Way has brought him so much closer to success.