Dan Mulvaney, Adult with Autism, Graduates (New York Times)

Congratulations to our dear friend and contributor Barbara Fischkin, her husband Jim Mulvaney and to recent high school graduate Dan Mulvaney. Read the full article in the NYT HERE.

The invitation for Dan Mulvaney’s graduation Sunday showed a burly young man with a hipster’s goatee wearing a graduation cap (courtesy of Photoshop) and holding a real striped bass he caught in the bay behind Long Beach High School.

It read: “ ’Twas said that by teaching a man to fish you feed him for a lifetime.

“Dan Mulvaney has learned to fish, learned to cook and accomplished many things. Dan is ready to take on the world. Join us in celebration of his graduation, with honor, from Long Beach High School.”

It concluded: “Casual cuisine, beach-friendly dress code, indescribable pride.”

Comments

[Barbara Fischkin]

Dear All

thanks so much for everything. For your own tales. For letting the kids decide that they are ready for community college even if that idea makes us nuts. ( danny recently typed that he wants to drive.. oy vey).

Husband Mulvaney and I are hiding out in the catskills after leaving dan at a campfire with his longtime cabin mates from cabin 19/20 at camp loyaltown. Dan arrived a few days late due to graduation. One of his more verbal cabin mates has been asking for him for days. How wonderful to be missed by your friends. what more can any of us ask for in life?

And yes, I hope the NY Times people look at my blogs and see how much more there is to this story. how bio med interventions work!

But I also must send kudos to Dan's wonderful teachers. They have been well educated by Positive Behavior Supports. google Patty Tomanelli and you will find them. Or email me through my website http://barbarafischkin.com

I really believe that good teachers and good bio med work hand-in-hand. Together they make our children available!!!

so... we are at an inn and I have stolen Mulvaney's laptop and taken it to the lobby where there is wireless. In other words I am AWOL, better get back..
much love to all

[Dee]

Wow, congrats to him and the family ... I can only imagine what an overwhelming moment of pride it is!

[nhokkanen]

What a sweet story with such a great ending -- congratulations to Dan, Mom and Dad! I hope that Dan has a great time at camp before the next adventurous phase of his life begins. And what a monster lunker he caught; way cool.

[Benedetta Stilwell]

I remember when my son graduated from high school. I made peace with God that year, I stopped being angry with him. My son wanted to go to college soooo bad and I was so scared!!!! I almost did not let him go, but I could tell he was hurt about it. During the summer we drove over to a small community college on their introduction day.

There were only a very few parents there just mostly recent high school graduates. The college herded us parents to the back of the room while the potential students sat in the front. All the parents were smiling, laughing and I could tell they felt confident that they were doing the right thing by their child. My husband and I were quiet,stiff, up-tight, we purposefully sat apart from them, we felt like we did not belong, and should not be there. I felt ashamed- like who did we think we were!

The college staff talked about ACT scores and how those students with high ACT scores were really nice to have, but it did not mean they would have the WILL to finish what they started. The speaker said," The parking lots are full the first three months of school, and then as the days gets shorter,and as the morning light gets later the parking lot becomes emptier" .Those words meant a lot to me but not enought to not be to scared to stay.

When the meeting was over my husband and I grabbed our son and bolted for the door. But my son was not afraid and held back somewhat. This allowed two teachers from the electronic department to catch up with us. This is what my son wanted to go into. My son who recognized them and spoke to them. They directed us to the cafeteria and sat down with us and dragged out our son's ACT scores. They told us he could read, and that was good enough, never mind that his math scores were in the basement, they were good at teaching trig and math!!!! They made up his schedule were he would take all his classes only two days a week -but all day long. I drove him for three years. Last Fall he got his driver's license (that was a very good day) and drove himself. He finished his two year degree this past Christmas, he past his classes but not his electronics test to get his license in electronics.

My son had a lot of trouble with the math,he had to take one class twice, all the while these eletronic teachers tutored him every Friday. They also tutored him every Friday on the electronics test too. My son was always so frustratingly close to passing it. But he has a lot of math behind him and knows it, as well as knowing a lot about electronics.

These two teachers are Christians (they talked to me privately about it a lot)- I had made peace with God, but now I am amazed how something higher than myself did take care of us and am grateful to this higher power sending these two teachers our way)
Graduating from high school is not the end, and so good luck in what ever interest Dan wishes to follow!

[donna nunn]

kim,
thanks again for your help. we appreciate it.
donna

[Maurine Meleck]

Congratulations to the whole family on Dan's graduation. Wish I could have been there to celebrate with you. What a terrific accomplishment. Good luck to Dan as he moves on............the Times article is excellent.
maurine

[kim]

Whoo Hooo! What hope you all give us all. Some days the fight seems impossible, but this gives me fire. Thank you and CONGRATULATIONS!

[Adriana]

Wonderful news and kudos to the whole family.

I also think it's great that New York Times readers, if they go to check out Barbara's blog posts, may find out a little more than certain industry-embedded entities would like.

[Teresa Conrick]

What a great article about Dan! Congratulations to the Mulvaney family as that is inspiring and emotional. What a fantastic job you have each done.

Best to you all!

[Managing Editor Kim]

Hi, Donna! Readers, you might remember Donna and Dustin from our post here about Dustin's comic. I've linked it below - click my name. KIM

[donna nunn]

Congratulations to Dan and his parents. My 20 year old son on the spectrum graduated last year from high school and I just want to say kudos to Dan's parents for fighting so hard to get their boy the best education possible. Kudos to them for wanting better for their child and making it happen. And please don't give up on getting him more education, improving his speech, etc. It can be done. I know from experience that teaching our kids is a never-ending thing. He graduated from high school and not from life, so we have to keep doing what we have been doing their whole lives to continue their education, even if it is us, their parents, being the teacher of their higher education of life. Again, congratulations Dan and God bless you and your wonderful parents.
Donna

[rileysmom]

Congradulations DAN and Barbara and Jim. This a big accomplishment for most NT kids these days!!! How proud you must all be!
Dan, I'm proud of you and wish you the best of luck in whatever you choose to do with your education.

[K Fuller Yuba City]

Barbara, This article was very well done. Is the school a general ed school? I am wondering how long he attended. Our son will be a "junior" this school year. We must begin making plans for him.His academic life has flown by. Do we insist he stays at the High School after the next 2 years? Do we move him into a non academic setting? ETC. Your experience here is greatly needed for so many of us in the large group moving past childhood.
Thanks