04/23/2026
My Journey with Autism.
At 22, I said yes to something small—spending time with a 7-year-old boy named Ben.
What I didn’t know…was that it would change my life.
Ben was full of life—fearless, joyful, curious, and unbelievably connected to people. He also had autism. While his gifts were obvious, social interaction didn’t come as easily. So that summer, we worked on it together…through conversations, laughter, imagination, and a whole lot of pretending to be monkeys.
What started as a “summer thing” turned into something much bigger.
Ben didn’t just grow—I did too.
He taught me patience. Presence. Perspective. Persistence
Fast forward 15 years…my first son was adopted, from Russia,�And at 3 years old, he was diagnosed with autism.
Different from Ben. Different strengths. Different challenges.�But not unfamiliar.
Because of Ben, I didn’t walk into that diagnosis empty-handed. I walked in with experience, hope, and a deep belief that growth is always possible.
I truly believe God places people in our lives for a reason—�sometimes to receive a gift…�and sometimes to prepare us to give one.
In this case, it was both!
My journey with autism didn’t start with my son.�It started with a boy who just wanted a buddy.
And it’s shaped how I show up as a father every single day. ❤️
