Best Buddies

As many of you know, my one and only brother who is 2 years younger than me, was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder at the young age of 3 years old. Being only 5 at the time, I don't think I realized quite what had happened, but from the very beginning I knew there was something really special about Cal. A lot of things were difficult for us a family, having a child with Autism. Cal is extremely OCD, and when he was a child, if we ever tried to eat at a new restaurant or change up his daily routine even the slightest bit, he would melt down. He would break out into hysterical tantrums in public places because he wasn't used to the setting or because he wasn't in the right place at the right time. Everything had to be a certain way, and this prevented us from doing a lot of things that a "typical" family would. If we wanted to try a new restaurant or activity, it was never all 7 of us together, because one of our parents had to stay home or wait in the car with Cal. My sisters and I had to learn to be flexible from a young age, and although it wasn't always easy, we made it work. I always admired my sisters for their patience. I can't remember a single time where one of them was upset about our plans not working out. They were always very cooperative and they never complained.

One thing that I worried about a lot with Cal was how he would make friends in middle school and high school. He had some amazing friends in elementary school, but in middle and high school, he would be in a different class than them. Middle school ended up working out fine. His friends were able to visit him in class, and they also got together outside of school. This is when high school became a big concern for me. Out of his two best friends, only one of them would be attending the same school as him, and once again, they would not be in any of the same classes. He wasn't going to join the football team or the marching band. He would go to school and then home and then back to school again. I knew that he would never have a typical teenage social life, but I still wanted him to have something. In 8th grade is when I first heard about a program called Best Buddies. This is an organization that provides genuine friendships for people with disabilities. There was a Best Buddies program at our high school, and the thought of this really excited me. How Best Buddies works is, anyone can sign up to join the club and participate in group activities, but you can also apply to be what is called a peer buddy. A peer buddy is someone who gets paired with a student who has an intellectual or development disability (IDD), and you hangout with them, make sure they have a ride to all of the group events, things like that. Not only did Cal make so many amazing friends through Best Buddies, I was lucky enough to be chosen as a peer buddy for my junior and senior year. This program was a life changing experience for myself and Cal. Not only did Cal make friends with his buddies, he made friends with other kids with IDD.

Best Buddies is such an important organization to so many people. It is the world's largest organization dedicated to ending the social, physical, and economic isolation of the 200 million people with IDD. These programs empower the special abilities of people with IDD by helping them form meaningful friendships with their peers, secure successful jobs, live independently, improve public speaking, self-advocacy and communication skills, and feel valued by society. Donations from people like you and me make local Best Buddies programs possible. Big or small, your support will not go unnoticed. If you feel led, you can give the gift of friendship by donating to my personal fundraising page.

Over the past several years, Cal has overcome so much more than we ever thought he could. He has branched out with the foods that he eats, and has become much more flexible as far as eating out and trying new things goes. He knows how to make a joke, how to tie his shoes, how to make his own food, and so much more. My dad once told me that people who have a sibling with IDD have such a different understanding of those with IDD than anyone else every could. Not only has Cal made me see the world in a different light, he has taught me so much about how to live life. Not a day in his life has Cal been judgemental or rude toward someone else. He has never told a lie. He has never hated anyone. He has taught me so much about patience and love. He is also one of the friendliest people I know. He can strike up a conversation with a stranger at any given moment, and he loves shaking hands. These things make him not only an awesome brother and son, but an awesome friend. I am glad that an organization like Best Buddies exists for people like Cal.