Sharing an important story

I haven’t linked to my other blog prior to now, in an effort to keep things separated.  Due to the circumstances though, I am happy to provide the following links and ask that you feel free to share them…

http://www.momtility.com/2012/09/a-post-dedicated-to-mel-turner-autistic.html

http://www.momtility.com/2012/09/an-important-post-autism-support-in.html

To make a donation:
http://www.indiegogo.com/mel2012

To provide a synopsis:

Mr. Mel Turner is an autistic man who lives in the town I grew up in, and has been a member of that community for over 30+ years.  He has always been a gentle and fragile person who always attended school and community events.  He was employed over the last few years as a part-time custodian at one of the schools in the district.  Literally, ever student that graduated from this school, knows him in some way.

Recently, he was bullied by middle school kids, and had an outburst due to the stress.  An outburst consistent with autism.  That is, he processed the stress he was enduring and expressed himself in the only way he is capable.  He got very upset.  During his outburst, he made threats to the school (which of course, he didn’t mean and could never have the capability to carry out).  The school knows this, and knows this man very well.  Kids that witnessed Mel’s outburst had videotaped it, and it turned over to their parents who in turn gave it to school officials.  He was subsequently fired from his part-time job.  Nobody is debating that the school had to address his threat, and take some kind of action – just not the action they took.  Mel is an autistic man who is not capable of hurting anyone.  Perhaps the fear would be that he could inadvertently hurt himself.  However, law enforcement was apparently contacted due to the nature of his “threats”.  Unfortunately, he was led through a very traumatic experience being brought to a psych ward – nobody was contacted on his behalf to tell them he was there.

He had not only lost his job, he was told he was no longer allowed on school grounds.  His ties to the community and the one constant that is most important to him, had been severed.  There are so many issues surrounding this: bullying, autism, compassion, acceptance, support.  How in the year 2012, could an autistic man be brought to a psych ward? 

Luckily, a long-time friend and neighbor, stood up on his behalf and really put himself on the line.  He didn’t let Mel stay in the psych ward.  He explained to the medical staff that Mel (who was apparently rocking back and forth in a corner), was autistic and did not need medication.  What he needed was to be home, and have his canned ravioli, fruit punch, and 4 double-stuffed oreo’s at 6:30pm.

It started as as a letter written by his neighbor that spread via social media, and has now been covered on ABC, Fox5, and CBS, as well as local news. 

Thanks,
Linda