Students across the state have walked across the stage or soon will, celebrating the end of their high school careers. One Little Rock Hall High student's road to graduation meant beating the odds -- and a life-changing diagnosis.
At just two years of age, doctors were already writing off Alexander Myers.According to his mother, Veronica Tess, they said, "'It is ineveitable he will be institutionalized.' They say by the time he's in middle school, you won't be abale to let him live with you that the behaviors would have gotten that far out of wack. I was determined that would not be the case."
Instead of resigning to the diagnosis, the singer mother focuses on helping him learn how to function in society from counting his money to ordering his own food.
She's even walked side-by-side with him to school almost every day since kindergarten. "All of my time is consumed with autism and Alexander," she says.
On their journey, Alexander has become more independent and caring than his diagnosis implied was possible. After years of hard work, finally the moment they've been preparing for: Wednesday night, he graduated -- on time as a 17-year-old.
"He ran his hand down my face," Veronica says, "and asked me, 'Happy, happy, happy,' so that lets me know he knows something's going on." She admits their journey hasn't been easy, but seeing her son decked out in his cap and gown complete with medallions alongside his classmates makes every moment worth it.
"If there was one thing I wanted people to know about Alexander," she says, "or the situation with autism, the war with autism, is not to underestimate; set your expectations high and just be determined to be as consistent as possible and persistent in accomplishing that goal."
Though Alexander's now done with high school, he has by no means reached the end of his road. Veronica says she's preparing him for his next step in life: college courses.
Source: Arkansasmatters.com
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