Kyrie is an 8-year old young man who was diagnosed with autism at the age of 3. Kyrie is a product of twins, his sister's name is Kaley.

Kyrie started off as a normal child, surpassing every milestone under the age of 1. At the age of 18 months is when Kyrie had a sudden shift in behavior. I noticed him being very irritable, no longer making eye contact, running away from me or family members outside, diet changes, arranging his toys in a straight line (like a train), playing alone and sensory challenges. Kyrie was more interested in farm animals and would only sing "Old McDonald had a farm".

My mom, Angela Jackson, a retired educator, insisted that we begin therapy through Babies Can't Wait, where Mrs. Sherry Turnipseed would come over to our home to assist with therapy. Kyrie's pediatrician, Dr. Gena Albert, submitted a referral to Marcus Autism Center, where he was officially diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Kyrie has made huge growth but there is still a lot of work to be done!

Today, over 70 million children and adults are affected by autism. Each of them, have unique strengths, challenges and potential. Autism Speaks will be there for them. You and I can be too.

It’s only through the dedicated support of people like us that Autism Speaks can continue their vital mission work. Each year, the Autism Speaks Autism Response Team makes direct contact with tens of thousands of individuals looking for advice or guidance and more than one million people access their free nationwide autism services and resources. They continue to partner and support research to improve the lives of people with autism by investing in science that will allow more personalized treatments and therapies. You can find out even more about where your fundraising dollars go at autismspeaks.org/our-work.

Please join me by donating or attending the Autism Walk on September 28th to help me reach Kyrie's fundraising goal. Together, we have the power to enhance the lives of people with autism and make a meaningful difference. Thanks so much for your support!

Walk Schedule