David was a remarkable young man and he lives on forever in his parent’s hearts. Showing heroic characteristics, he lived and thrived despite his disability, high functioning autism. When he was a child, many of the professionals with whom we consulted doubted his ability to succeed academically. After experiencing verbal and auditory processing deficits as a child, he became an excellent verbal communicator and a superb, engaged reader.
At the time of his death, he was attending Northwest Arkansas Community College where I taught. Though at times the work was very challenging, he was completing course work and starting to visualize a career goal.
His friends and family adored him and miss him terribly. At the time of his death, David was sensitive to other people’s feelings, very supportive of others, an excellent listener, and his mother believes that he was in the midst of learning about his true self and how to take care of himself in the true world.
I know that his spirit lives on now and there are no more worries and struggles, just peace and joy.