Joshua S, age 9
Photograph by Kenia Mann (2022)
Joshua can bring a smile to anyone’s face with his witty sense of humor and great ability to retain information. His kind heart has helped him make many friends in school, where he maintained A/B honor roll all year. He loves to make digital art, jump on the trampoline, swim in the pool, and hug people.
Since the beginning of Joshua’s journey with autism, he has made progress by leaps and bounds. At one point, he could not speak, but his mom says he talks nonstop some days and has the cutest voice ever.
Joshua inspires his family to be more forgiving and accepting of others and not to worry about what others think. “He is capable like the rest of us,” his mom says. “Joshua is the kindest, sweetest person with no malice. I need the world to slow down and see Joshua and others.”
Joshua es capaz de arrancar una sonrisa a cualquiera con su ingenioso sentido del humor y su gran capacidad para retener información. Su buen corazón le ha ayudado a hacer muchos amigos en la escuela, donde ha mantenido un cuadro de honor A/B durante todo el año. Le encanta hacer arte digital, saltar en el trampolín, nadar en la piscina y abrazar a la gente.
Desde el comienzo del viaje de Joshua con el autismo, ha progresado a pasos agigantados. En un momento dado, no podía hablar, pero su madre dice que algunos días habla sin parar y tiene la voz más bonita.
Joshua inspira a su familia a ser más indulgente y a aceptar a los demás y a no preocuparse por lo que piensen los demás. “Es capaz como el resto de nosotros”, dice su madre. “Joshua es la persona más amable, dulce y sin malicia. Necesito que el mundo se frene y vea a Joshua y a los demás”.
Family Connection of South Carolina provides services and resources to families who have a child with a disability or specialized healthcare need. Since 1990 we have served more than 100,000 families and today our services are needed more than ever. We focus on parent-to-parent support, guidance with navigating the complex healthcare system, and assistance with school meetings and special education plans.