Aussie comedy legend John Doyle, one half of duo 'Roy and HG', opened up tonight on 'A Current Affair' about his sister's incredibly difficult struggle with autism in a bid to help other Australian families.
The story also included fantastic profiles on other families with beautiful kids living with autism. I was particularly keen on seeing older kids and teens and young adults and how they do.
Ask any parent of a child with autism, and they will tell you this is the one thing they think about/worry about the most: how they will fare as young adults, how the world 'out there' will treat them.
John's comments at the end of the interview certainly made me cry openly, in front of my children.
My daughter gets it, had told me the report was going to be on, even encouraged me and was excited for me to watch it, knowing I'd get lots from it.
She is seven - can you believe such empathy from someone so young?
Her twin brother's autism has taught her a level of compassion I could only hope for.
And the clincher? At the end, when I explain to her that John's comments about his severely autistic sister has taught him so much in life, and what that all means, and that she herself is so empathic and wonderfully caring to her brother, she declares: "Mum, when I grow up, I want to help people with autism."
After crying all over again, I ask her why.
"Because I just want to help them, Mum."
Ask any parent of a child with autism, and they will tell you this is the one thing they think about/worry about the most: how they will fare as young adults, how the world 'out there' will treat them.
John's comments at the end of the interview certainly made me cry openly, in front of my children.
My daughter gets it, had told me the report was going to be on, even encouraged me and was excited for me to watch it, knowing I'd get lots from it.
She is seven - can you believe such empathy from someone so young?
Her twin brother's autism has taught her a level of compassion I could only hope for.
And the clincher? At the end, when I explain to her that John's comments about his severely autistic sister has taught him so much in life, and what that all means, and that she herself is so empathic and wonderfully caring to her brother, she declares: "Mum, when I grow up, I want to help people with autism."
After crying all over again, I ask her why.
"Because I just want to help them, Mum."
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| Photo: Tracy Grimshaw and John Doyle. Source: Facebook |
