Autism - A Family Journey

This is a story about one family's journey with an autistic family member, Steven; as told by his mother. It is also Steven's story from birth to the present as a man in his early 40's. It is an engaging and emotional story. At the same time, it is an honest portrayal of what it is like to live with autism on a daily basis. Cindy Rasmussen wrote this story for her children to help them understand what happened in their family when they were growing up, from the perspective of a Mom. Her eldest son, Mark, was only 19 months old when her autistic son, Steven, was born and only 2 1/2 when the first serious problems began. Steven was six years old when Geoffrey was born. So although they were there for most of the journey, they have little memory or understanding of the most difficult years for their family. It is her hope that as adults they can read her account and gain a deeper insight and understanding into things that took place in their childhoods and that this knowledge might help them as they go forward in their own lives. Cindy says: "If you are the parent of an autistic child, I also want to share our story with you so that you know that you are not alone. Your journey will be different than ours because every child is an individual and every family is unique. Our story does not have a "happily ever after" ending, but it is a story of hope and encouragement. We have found no perfect solutions, and we made many mistakes along the way, but we have found ways to overcome the obstacles and to find joy and fulfillment in knowing and loving our autistic child. It is my hope that our story will encourage you to also find a rewarding journey in life." For all who read this Cindy would like to leave the message that autism is not just a scary label, it has a face and a personality. She wants you to meet Steven, to get to know him as she and her family do and to learn why they love him and why he brings such joy to their lives and the lives of others. There are many "Stevens" out there, they are not all alike, but by knowing Steven through this story, Cindy hopes to help readers have a greater understanding and acceptance of others like him.