“Hey, Logan,” the kids taunted. “Go get the gas meter and bring it over here.” Innocently, Logan, who has Asperger’s syndrome, ran over to the gas meter and attempted to pull it off the house.
As he tugged, the kids laughed. Logan mistook their laugher for approval. “But when the game was over,” his dad said, “the kids ditched him, leaving Logan in tears.”
Despite constant shunning, Logan’s heart remained gentle. When students forgot their lunches, Logan was the first to say, “Do you like potato chips? You may have mine.” Logan also remembered to bow and give thanks before he ate no matter where he was.
Although Logan didn’t know how to engage in normal dialogue, years of therapy and a committed dad sharpened his verbal skills. Recently, Logan surprised himself when he delivered a witty comeback; reactions confirmed his cleverness. “Dad,” he said with a huge sense of pride, “I just knocked it out of the park.”
Note: A special thank you to the families who shared stories of children within Hope Network.
