Charlie, my son, is 12 and has level 3 autism. He was diagnosed at 22 months. He’s nonverbal, he has no sense of danger, and the world is often overwhelming for him in ways that most people will never fully understand.
Life with Charlie means locking doors, scanning every room for hazards, and using more patience than I ever thought I had. It means learning to communicate without words, learning to slow down, learning to meet him where he is. And at home, we do that with love, and kindness, every single day.
But outside our house? That’s different. People don’t always see the boy I see. They see behaviors they don’t understand. They stare, they judge, they pull their kids closer. And the truth is, autistic kids, especially kids like Charlie, are bullied and misunderstood at incredibly high rates.
What I’ve learned is this: the more people understand autism, the kinder they become. Awareness changes how people react. It changes how they treat kids like Charlie. It matters.
So today, on World Kindness Day, I’m asking for your help, because kindness isn’t just a feeling. It’s something we build through education, support, and community. And right now, your donation to Autism Speaks is being matched, which means your kindness goes twice as far.
For Charlie.
For every child like him.
For the families living this reality every day.
Pitch in before midnight and your gift will be DOUBLED to fuel programs and initiatives that spread autism awareness, counter misinformation, and lay the groundwork for a kinder world for all.
