A Letter on ‘What It’s Like to Have a Sibling with Autism’

Pat… If you name a Beatle’s song, my brother will tell you the exact day, month and year it was released. He’ll even tell you what day of the week it was if you feel so inclined. In fact, this morning while I was eating breakfast, he matter-of-factly informed me that Justin Bieber shares a birthday with Roger Daltrey from The Who. He can recall any date regarding the smallest of occasions.  If you ask him the last time we went to the antique store in Maine, he will tell you it was June 4th, 2001, a Thursday and it was raining, but he didn’t mind. The last time he ate shrimp was on a Wednesday, six years ago, and the weird texture and smell didn’t sit well with him. He will read ten pages of a book and then recite it back to you without skipping a beat. My brother has unique abilities unlike anyone I have ever met. He is brilliant. He is priceless. His brain works in ways that mine never will. But he does not fit society’s “norm” and these amazing skills often go una
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