Grateful Dead
From the French Press Agency toay AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE
KATHMANDU: A 15-year-old American boy has become the first teenager with Down's syndrome to reach Everest Base Camp, according to his father, in an attempt to inspire different attitudes towards people with disabilities.
Eli Reimer, from Oregon, reached the 5,364 metres high camp in Himalayan mountains in mid-March after 10 days of trekking.
"Part of the focus of this trek was on having at least one disabled trekker go with us and through their attempt, we wanted to point to the abilities of the 'dis'-abled," his father Justin, who was part of the expedition team, told AFP.
The trek was also a fund-raiser for the Elisha Foundation, founded by Eli's parents, which works with disabled people and their families. Eli is believed to be the first teenager to reach the base camp.
Some folks might want to take a look at this group, which received the most recent Bill Graham Award from the Rex Foundation. They work with autistic folks; music is involved! http://rexfoundation.org/2013/02/14/sharing-a-letter-from-hidden-wings/
Continues to enjoy live music! We just saw Railroad Earth a couple weeks ago and he had a great time. We saw Furthur at Merriweather Post Pavilion last summer and he was blown away!. He turns 17 this summer and the hormonal shifts of being that age coupled with autism have created some challenges for all of us, but he continues to be a sensitive and amazing young man. He teaches me new things everyday!
your son doing these days?
Good to be back! Took a bit of a break but I'm glad to be back!
nice to see you back here!
I've been away for awhile but I was moved by your post. Glad you found some strength here. Please feel free to contact me if you need anything.
I see this forum has been quiet for some time however I am pleased I found it - as we are in the process of finding out where our 2.5 year old son falls on the spectrum and if indeed it is autism. He has been involved with a program called Birth to 3 for speech as he is non-verbal but has lots to say jabber-wise. We've been in the program for 6 months and have heard him say "bah" for bye and "bur" for bird. It's been sweet music to our ears. Birth to 3 has recommended us to a developmental specialist whom we see in a couple weeks from now. The unknown is hard as we "fit" nowhere for support groups as we do not have a diagnosis yet. As our son "looks normal", family members and friends are having a hard time understanding that something is going on. So, its been lonely but we press on. I just wanted to share that I found strength in this forum and want to say thanks to you all.
and looks pretty interesting: Bob Weir & J. Ralph Collaborate on Wretches & Jabberers Autism Documentary Soundtrack.
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if I did not point out that there's a new thread involving our own Steve Silberman, who in his other life is a noted author on the subject of autism. Head on over and talk to him: http://www.dead.net/features/all-family/all-family-steve-silberman.