Autism advocate releases children’s book

I have written about Timothy Rohrer before; he’s the exceptional young man with autism who, far from letting his disability hold him back, has become an advocate for people with special needs. He first gained attention for writing a pamphlet that was widely shared around the country; it was called How to Be a Good Influence to People With Disabilities.

Because of the social isolation he felt, he was determined to “create an environment in which people with disabilities are collaborated with neurotypical people in their circle of friends and the chance for them to accomplish their dreams.” Tim seeks to foster better understanding between people with disabilities and their neurotypical peers; he wants people to know "Approaching someone with a disability is more than just feeling sorry for them. It's about giving them compassion, friendship, and love!"

Well, now Timothy has written a children’s book titled, “Timmy’s story: A Story About Autism and Friendship!” The book begins, “Timmy is a cute boy who is funny and smart, but doesn’t have any friends.” According to a release:

Tim uses his character Timmy (his childhood name) to teach about autism through the eyes of what he experienced growing up. Tim’s vision is for disability education to be taught in school, so nobody will experience the pain he has felt.

In the book, Timmy has autism, but likes recess, music, and art, and just wants to be included like anybody else. “Even though we are all different, we can all be friends,” says Tim. He also hand drew all the illustrations in the book and the graphics work was done by his childhood friend who also has autism. To order his book, click here.

For more information about Tim, his other projects, or to download his pamphlet, visit his site.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Doyle. Any opinions expressed are Bill Doyle's own.