Piece by Piece: Helping Others Takes Time

I had seen it in movies, when a person heard bad news the world started to spin and the sound sort of tunneled until there was just a whooshing with the speaker’s mouth moving. When I heard Peter’s diagnosis at age 3, the room didn’t quite spin, but somehow I didn’t feel like I was there anymore and the whooshing definitely happened. I think it was that my heartbeat was suddenly so loud it filled my whole body.

When I came home and told my parents, who had been watching the girls, my dad said something very wise. “Peter is the same little boy he was this morning before you went to the doctor. Now he has a diagnosis.” Dad was right. We had been in Early Intervention for a few months and Peter was making incredible strides. He still had a long way to go, but Peter was growing and beginning to explore his world. That was where I needed to focus.

Now at age 10 Peter has his good days and bad days. I sometimes think back to that moment and can hear the whooshing and feel the rapid heartbeat. That is when I want to do something to help other families. Our family has taken a small step by participating in the Westchester/Fairfield Autism Speaks walks. Other families I know do a great deal to raise awareness and support organizations like Autism Speaks.

This September local restaurant owners Audrey Hochroth and Sal Barone are sponsoring a golf outing at the Garrison Golf Club on Monday, September 26. The owners of Augie’s Prime Cut in Mohegan Lake, they have experienced autism firsthand with their daughter Niki. Hochroth has supported numerous events in the past, including Lakeland’s Team for the AutismSpeaks walks. This is the first event she and Barone have created because they want to reach beyond helping their own daughter in a bigger way.

It takes time to go from the whooshing sound to reaching out to help so many like Hochroth and Barone are doing. Following my dad’s lead, they are not letting a diagnosis make them freeze. They are taking action to help the many families that will be learning the news. Another family hears “your child has autism” every 20 minutes.

To join in Augie’s First Annual Golf Outing (including a dinner and live auction) visit http://www.augiesprimecut.com/eblast/augiesfirstbenefit.pdf.

Click here to follow Daily Voice Norwalk and receive free news updates.