Let me introduce you to Ben…
My kids and I had the pleasure of attending a screening of “In A Different Key: The Story of Autism” at Bucks County Community College back in April. After viewing this wonderful film, there was a panel discussion where we were introduced to several great people. One of them was Ben Hartranft. He was diagnosed with autism at an early age and he is now an adult who is making a positive impact by speaking at schools, businesses, and organizations about his journey and how inclusion and kindness have shaped his life.
During the Q&A portion, my son raised his hand to ask a question. I thought to myself Should I find out what the question is before he asks the panel in front of all these people? And then I looked at Ben and all of his kind energy and I could see a little glimpse into my son’s future. I could see that this newly turned 12 year old sitting next to me can be successful as an adult. I needed to let go of my urge to make sure everything goes smoothly. I needed to trust in his ability to communicate. So, I let him ask his question.
He asked the panel how autism was diagnosed. Dr. Jeff Selman (a licensed psychologist on the panel) answered his question in a way my son could understand. He then followed up with his own question. He asked if there was anything that my son or anyone in the audience thought that psychologists or other types of doctors should do or ask when talking to a child with autism to make sure they (the doctors) were getting it right.
I was touched by my son’s response. He not only answered the question beautifully but he also reminded me that there is so much more to him. We just need to ask the questions. He suggested to him they should ask children in a casual way what they like doing or if they have a certain hobby since many people with autism have a certain thing they enjoy talking about a lot.
I had the pleasure of speaking to Ben’s mom, Sandy Hartranft after the Q&A session ended. Ben actually introduced her to me. I could see immediately her support for Ben was a testament to how an individual with autism can thrive with just the right amount of guidance. The sky really is the limit when someone is given the opportunity to shine. I was very happy to learn about her upcoming book release of Swinging From The Chandelier: Finding Joy In The Journey Through Autism later this year and I have added Ben’s website to our resources page for anyone interested in more information.
And on a side note, it was such a pleasant surprise to see Ben again less than a month later at the kick-off party for the Eagles Autism Challenge where he is a Philadelphia Eagles Autism Ambassador. After we chatted with Ben, my kids were star struck meeting the sensory friendly Swoop. They were more than happy to introduce their mini-swoops to him. If you look closely, you can even see Ben on the left within my daughter’s balloon hat.