Nonverbal teen writes a touching letter.

It has been 14 years since Gordy Baylinson has been a nonverbal teen who showed no signs of emotions, until now. Unfortunately, even his parents thought that he did not understand them.

Thanks to Gordy’s therapist, the young man with autism spectrum disorder learnt a new communication technique, called the Rapid Prompting Method.

With the help of this method, Gordy was able to assure those around him that he could always understand everything and that he has a beautiful inner life. After this fantastic breakthrough, he hopes to continue communicating with others. Plus, he wishes that people will eventually accept and understand the ones suffering from autism.

According to Evan Baylinson, Gordy’s father, his son was capable of expressing himself in unimaginable ways. After Gordy has found out that the local police department was having an Autism Night Out, his therapist encouraged him to write a letter to the officer who organized the event.

Therefore, Gordy explained that he was happy to write the letter and that even if his body is like a drunken man’s body, his brain’s functionality is similar to our own. Plus, he underlines that he loves himself just the way he is and that his letter is a cry for recognition, acceptance and attention but not for pity.

Furthermore, Gordy’s letter was read by officer Laura Reyes, who initiated an autism outreach program that trains officers in her department various ways of approaching and interacting with individuals who suffer from autism. The letter impressed her so much that she decided to invite him to participate in her next training session in December.

According to her, one of the most valuable lessons during the training is never to underestimate a person with autism and to avoid associating non-verbal communication with a lack of intelligence.

One of the things that encouraged Gordy to write the letter was also the fact that many persons suffer from autism and are mistreated because people do not understand them. It is a reality that breaks his heart, but he knows that no one is to blame. Furthermore, he thanked Meghann Parkinson, his therapist that taught him this communication method and believed in his potential.

Gordy’s parents are also very happy and thankful too. Plus, they followed the presidential campaign with him, started to read him Harry Potter, and encouraged the amazing nonverbal teen to fulfill his dream of becoming a magazine researcher one day.

Image Source:The Blue Diamond Gallery