One of the questions I get asked most is “how did you get into occupational therapy?” I grew up around therapists. My home was unique in that my parents raised my nephew Travis alongside my brother and me. He came to live with my family when I was 9 years old. He had many health and developmental challenges and needed the support of doctors and therapists. Eventually, he was diagnosed with autism. My brother and I often credit Travis with being the single greatest teacher in our lives. We both landed in helping professions with kids. Phillip is a high school math teacher and coach. Me, I’ve worked with kids just like Travis my entire career. Our experiences shape the way we work with the families in our care.
(Jessica & Travis, 1997)
Autism is very common in our world today. It affects 1 in 44 children in the United States (CDC) . According to Autism Speaks, autism refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, and language challenges. It is often accompanied by sensory sensitivities and medical issues such as gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, seizures or sleep disorders, as well as mental health challenges such as anxiety, depression and attention issues. The thing about autism is everyone is different. Our country is getting more familiar with autism. We are slowly moving beyond autism awareness to autism acceptance. I love what Kaelynn Partlow (@kaelynnvp) says about this: “awareness means you know who I am, acceptance means you are glad to see me.” Since not everyone knows an autistic person, I wanted to introduce you to our T-Man!
Travis, aka T-Man, is 25 now. He lives and works in the north Fort Worth area. He graduated high school in 2015 and has gone on to work at his local Kroger. He loves to walk, shop, bowl, and eat bean burritos! He’s a sports enthusiast and loves a good game day t-shirt. He has a heart of gold and will make you laugh until your stomach hurts, sometimes not on purpose.
Thrive n Play (TnP): Thanks for spending some time with me this morning Trav! Tell us a little about a day in the life of Travis.
Travis: First thing I do it I get up and check social media…Facebook, Instagram, and Snap Chat. I am also the morning phone call for my best friend Debbie, so before I go get my coffee we chat. Then I eat some breakfast and walk to 7-11 to get my cup of coffee.
TnP: 7-11 Coffee? What do you like about it?
Travis: Hah, I don’t know. I’ve never really thought about it. I guess because I like strong coffee.
TnP: Then what do you do?
Travis: I come home, drink coffee, watch YouTube for like 2 hours or go to work. My shifts are 4-5 hours. If I’m not working, I help out my Nana with chores or I hop on my video games.
TnP: What games do you play?
Travis: I like MLB The Show, Madden, NBA 2K
TnP: Tell me about your job.
Travis: I have a job at Kroger as a cashier. Sometimes I get to help out in other departments like stocking and unloading the truck if they need help.
TnP: Do you have friends that you hang out with?
Travis: Ya I have a couple friends that I hang out with, Debbie and Robert. I bowl 2-3 times per week. Right now, I’m in a league every other Sunday night. Other than that, I just go when I feel like going.
TnP: Do you mind if I ask you some questions about autism?
Travis: Sure.
TnP: What does autism mean to you?
Travis: Never really thought about that. I guess, they basically can do anything anyone else can do but may have a little trouble or take a little longer to learn how to do stuff.
TnP: How does your autism make you awesome?
Travis: I’m funny, fun to be around. Love to go do things- shopping mainly. Lots of shopping. Debbie teases me all the time: “I’ve never met a man that loves to go shopping as much as you.” You want to go spend 3 hours at the mall? LET’S GO! As long as I get fed in between, ha.
I probably know more about sports than other people, especially baseball. I know who a lot of players are, especially pro baseball. My favorite is Trent Grisham. He went to high school with me. He’s starting in center field for the San Diego Padres. There are a lot of people I like on that team. My second favorite is Cory Seager, short stop with the Texas Rangers.
TnP: What kinds of things are hard for you?
Travis: Always making friends has been hard for me.
TnP: What makes it hard?
Travis: I guess I’m not good at approaching people and starting a conversation.
TnP: What else is hard for you?
Travis: Learning how to put things together is pretty hard. Like putting a desk together or something like that. Like reading directions and following step by step. I guess looking at the picture and then figuring it out with my hands…like figuring out what goes with what.
TnP: Now, I know this because I’m your aunt. Tell me about how food is hard for you.
Travis: Well, I have been trying some new stuff at home when my grandparents make it. I’m not a big fan of trying new stuff. I guess it’s the texture, my taste buds get me.
TnP: What new foods have you tried?
Travis: Enchiladas and some kind of chicken casserole. Mostly Mexican food.
TnP: Sounds tasty! What do you think everyone should know about autistic people?
Travis: They just want to be able to be around people, make friends, and be a part of everything.
TnP: Tell me about something that makes you proud.
Travis: I was able to work my way up to Floor Supervisor at work. That was before the pandemic hit of course. I had to step down when the pandemic hit [because of my immune system], but I did it for about 6 months. I’ve also been able to learn a lot of other jobs at Kroger.
Thanks for sharing a little about your life with us, Travis. I want to encourage anyone reading this to get to know an autistic person. It’s the first step in building a more inclusive world.
If your child has characteristics of autism, Thrive n Play can support you. Send us a message on our website or you can contact me directly at Jessica@thrivenplay.com.
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