Walk Now for Autism Speaks Kick-Off

It is the second annual Walk Now for Autism Speaks in Columbus, Ohio and we are gearing up for another exciting year. I recently attended this amazing event and besides the great food and the fabulous decor put on by the Limited, the speakers were just as amazing this year.

A few things that I wanted to point out about this event still have stuck in my mind even though this event occurred 5 weeks ago. The first is about this high school boy who spoke. He talked about what it meant to be a hero and how being an athlete he was his brothers hero (his brother is on the spectrum). Little did his younger brother know, but he was this high schooler's hero. Out of all the NFL, NBA, and MLB players this high schooler's younger brother who has special needs was his hero. This really touched me because when you think of hero you think of those all stars when in the end it is really the one who has saved you and been with you through it all. It was exciting to see that even high school kids can understand what it means to be different and to stand out.

The second thing that was great about this night was the main speaker. Harry Slatkin is the President of Limited Brands Home Design and his 9 year old son is on the spectrum. Last year at this time Harry and his wife decided to place their son in a home due to his violence and his lack of improvement through all types of therapy. This year Harry was happy to report that ever since his son's move to this amazing home for children on the spectrum, he has improved significantly and is no longer violent.

The third and final thing I wanted to talk about from this event was the decor. There were kites hung all over the place and an e-mail was sent to our Kick-off chair person Michele Worthington from Matthew with Zen Genius who described the decor for the event and the e-mail goes like this:
"The kites above us with all the wonderful pictures of our kiddos are there to inspire and encourage action for people who have autism and to remind us how beautiful the results can be. Also worth noting Matthew said, is that the kite dances not always easy. Sometimes it takes a dramatic dip, tumbling to the ground with no warning or understanding, just like the struggles of those who live with autism."

The last note I want to leave is the reason why I walk: I walk to give back hope.