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Post by americanbulldogsnj on Jul 30, 2005 20:17:52 GMT -5
We were at a BBQ at a friends house last Sat, enjoying a beautiful day! My friend has twin girls who are two years old, my son who just turned 8 was playing with them near the pool ladder. We were all watching them, and were about 10 feet away eating while the kids played. As fast as anyone could blink one of the girls flipped into the pool and sank right to the bottom. My son Robert jumped in and pulled her out safe and sound before anyone could get to her, he saved her from drowning... My son is autistic, anyone who has been around autistic children will understand what a miracle this was. I'll never forget that day as long as I live...
Marian
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Post by Cher on Jul 30, 2005 20:40:04 GMT -5
OMG Marian that is totally awesome and I do understand exactly what you are talking about. Thank God your son was there and able to do what he did. My great-niece is similar, she exhibits almost all of the signs of an autistic child but they (the drs.) said she wasn't autisic so they call her something else. I can't remember what it is but it was referred to by initials and basically means they can't identify her specific problems so she's in this "unable to identify" catagory.
Cher
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kurocks
having dreams about rocks
Member since June 2005
Posts: 61
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Post by kurocks on Jul 30, 2005 20:51:03 GMT -5
Wow, that is incredible! What a quick-thinking boy (and what a good time for him to have a brilliant flash of altruism).  You must be very proud of him! Cher, it sounds like your grand-niece may have PDD. I know several kids on the autistic spectrum, and it is fascinating sometimes, the way they can surprise you. |
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phoenix1647
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2013
Posts: 186
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Post by phoenix1647 on Jul 30, 2005 20:57:20 GMT -5
Autisum like many dieseases is a poorly understood condition. Doctors (and others too) just have to put a lable on everything even if they don't understand it. I have always thought the difference between genious and insanity is a very fine line.
I have a nephew who is autistic and there are some things he is very good at and some things he is not good at...hmmm..seems like that is just like the rest of us who are not labled autistic...now go figure...
Pho
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Post by docone31 on Jul 30, 2005 21:16:50 GMT -5
An hero for sure. If he had not reacted the way he did, that little lady might be among the missing. Good for him. I wish I could say something profound here, but your son said it all in his actions.
A person I knew years ago lost her daughter in a pool. There had been a party, nothing special or out there. She and her husband were trying to work out issues at the same time. She had been checking on her daughter frequently and was using the help of her "friends".
Her husband took off for home, and she went to check on the children. Her eldest child told her her daughter was practicing holding her breathe in the pool. She had been in the pool on the bottom for hours. The party was in broad daylight, there was very little alcohol consumption, nor other consumption. No one noticed the child on the bottom of the pool in broad daylight!
She was never the same, and never forgave herself.
In my opinion, if Hero was a line on the page, Hero would be where my post starts. Your son is much closer to the top of the entire page. I am somewhere at the bottom.
I do not know what level of autism your son is, but, if you can, please tell him I think he is ten feet tall. I am not sure how many "normal" children I know would have acted so quickly. Time was a serious issue there.
My cousin was autistic. He was severly impared. He was my age. We kinda grew up together. That is what impresses me the most. I know.
When my cousin grew up, there was not a lot of knowlege on autism.
Thank you for sharing that with me. It means a lot.
Please tell Robert I am proud of him.
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Post by rockyraccoon on Jul 30, 2005 22:50:49 GMT -5
marian "kudos" to your hero son!
kim
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Debs
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2005
Posts: 1,252
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Post by Debs on Jul 30, 2005 22:57:12 GMT -5
Awe...what a nice story! I am not surprised. Remember I told you they are very special people.  He was meant to be there at that moment to save that lucky little girl. He was not only quick thinking in this moment, but more important he did it all on his own!!! Remember I told you they are very smart and will only show their innerself when they want to. Never doubt that you have a very special little boy. One I would be very proud of and give him a hug for me! Sometimes I think autism is a special gift from God. Most people still don't understand them like we do and probably never will. Enjoy these special moments with him! Kind of reminds me of my little brother. He knew enough to take off his cute little red tennis shoes and place his socks inside. Then walked barefoot into the river. Oh, I wish he would have never did that!  It's okay, because by reading this, you helped me remember him one more time. I think it would be nice if the local news station or the Mayor would acknowledge this! That would make him feel so proud and special! It makes me feel so good inside after reading your post! There is something very special about your little boy. I feel it! |
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Duckbean
fully equipped rock polisher
Looking for rocks in all the wrong places
Member since February 2005
Posts: 1,072
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Post by Duckbean on Jul 30, 2005 23:00:31 GMT -5
You know that smile and warm glow that you get when you look at him? You can be sure that that little girls parents are feeling the same waywhen they see him from now on! He sounds like a very special little boy Marian to do something like that.
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stefan
Cave Dweller 
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
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Post by stefan on Aug 1, 2005 9:42:45 GMT -5
We are all placed on this Earth to do a job- Your HERO has stepped up when called upon- Words are failing me and tears are filling my eyes! Your son is an inspiration and never let him forget this! Congrates to you for raising such a child- willing to do such a task! My Son is a certified Life guard- he had to save a child last summer- HE SAVED a child from drowning- Saved them- The parents turned around and tried to sue the town for not having a lock on the pool gate (the pool was open but the child did not have permission to be at the pool!) My son got caught up in legal hassel (they wanted to know why this child was unsupervised- My son pointed out that this day there were over 30 children in the pool and only about 12 adults- so I guess there were many "unsupervised" children- well long and short of it He left the Life Guard profession (as he put it- I'm there to save a life- not answer a bunch of questions from a lawyer!) So KUDOS to your son for being quick thinking!
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Post by americanbulldogsnj on Aug 3, 2005 20:50:25 GMT -5
Awww thank you all, my little guy has been getting extra special "HERO" treatment since then. He doesnt really understand exactly what he did, but he knows it was a good thing. I asked him why he jumped into the pool after the little girl, he said " because she's just a baby". I will remind him of it every time he feels like he can't do something. Right now he's fighting to stay awake to watch his favorite anime, but he's losing the battle lol. I hugged him from all of you, and read the posts to him, he especially liked Doc's post about him being "10 feet tall", and he was sad about Deb's brother and his little red shoes, he said "I wish I was there to tell him not to go into the water"...Thank you everybody from both of us...
Mommy and Robert my little hero...
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Debs
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2005
Posts: 1,252
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Post by Debs on Aug 3, 2005 22:11:41 GMT -5
Awe...what a nice thing for him to say. They truly understand what we can not see! Oh, I wanted to tell you about a story on the news tonight about autism. The was a study by Duke University. They were doing more studies about genes. From what I understood all they genes don't connect like they do in normal people. Therefore they tend to get overloaded and that is why they don't wish to communicate and love to do the things they do, like look at pictures in magazines for hours on end. The studies were done on family members who have an autistic family member. I thought it was very interesting. Have you ever heard of this? I think they might finally be on to something here...time will tell I guess as they and all of us are still learning. |
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Post by americanbulldogsnj on Aug 3, 2005 22:59:12 GMT -5
Debs I havent heard of the study, but it sure makes me understand why he does some of the things he does. The doctors call it hyper-fixation, when they just get stuck doing one thing for hours on end, like putting blocks in rows, or spinning a wheel on a toy instead of playing with it. Robert does that with the computer, he forgets to eat, drink, get dressed, go to the bathroom. When it's time for him to stop playing on the computer he gets really angry, they don't like to come out of their world. Loud sounds freak him out, and bugs flying around his head makes him absolutely lose it. I got him a little bug box at the dollar store and today we found a big green catapillar, we put in some leaves and he watched him, that's a big step for him. When he was a baby he was hyper sensitive to touch, noise, tastes, smells he cried alot, it was like he was on sensory overload 24/7. I think he went into his world to get away from the overwhelming stimuli he was experiencing. I just know that he's a cool little guy, everyday he gets alittle better, and funnier. I'll see if I can find the study on the Duke website...Thanks Debs!
Marian
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stefan
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2005
Posts: 14,113
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Post by stefan on Aug 5, 2005 9:27:23 GMT -5
Hmmmm Who among us has not set down and stared or played with our rocks for hours on end- Hyper-fixation- Well it sounds like he is just as normal (what is that anyway?) as any of us! I would love to be able to concentrate on something for hours on end- (other than rocks of course) Oh and bugs flying around my head freak me out too- I'm guessing that your son is just more "in tune" than the rest of us- a very noble trait!
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You must be very proud of him!
He was meant to be there at that moment to save that lucky little girl. He was not only quick thinking in this moment, but more important he did it all on his own!!! Remember I told you they are very smart and will only show their innerself when they want to. Never doubt that you have a very special little boy. One I would be very proud of and give him a hug for me! 
It's okay, because by reading this, you helped me remember him one more time. I think it would be nice if the local news station or the Mayor would acknowledge this! That would make him feel so proud and special! It makes me feel so good inside after reading your post! 
