His parents were panicking, but all along this nonverbal young man with autism harbored a secret plan.
By Mary Le [Editor’s note: Mary was born in Vietnam and English is her second language]
Alex is truly special. Tonight he fill our hearts and move us to tears. I have to share this story.
Two days ago, he have a small tantrum, the first in two months. His tantrum spot is in the garage. While there, he rummaged through the boxes and found his old Thomas the Engine train set that is incomplete. He bought it into his room.
Today, while I was making dinner, I saw him came out with his sweat shirt on, holding a cardboard box and putting his shoe on. My heart started pounding but I thought he is putting the cardboard in the recycling bin outside, in my slipper I follow him.
Once outside he took off running so fast in second he was at the end of the block. I scream for (friend) Cindy, thank god she was here today, to get her car key. As I watch him I saw him turn left. Panic mood now. Left mean he's heading toward the main busy street. Right mean he is at least in our neighborhood.
Cindy came out and we both jump in her car and follow him.
I got him to get in the car with me and when I look in the box, it was the Thomas engine train set. I know that it's bother him that it's incomplete. So I told him, let go home so mom can put some shoe on and I will take you to Target and we will get a new set. We went to Target and got him a new set but he was not happy. When we pull into the driveway, he was very upset. So I knew I was in trouble.
“I told Chinh, let him lead us to where he want to go or else he will find a way to leave in the middle of the night. ”
When (husband) Chinh came home, I told him what happen. After dinner we told them we will go on our walk. Alex went to his room and try to stuff all the trains and a few track in his pocket. At that moment, I knew that he is determine to bring that trains set somewhere. I told Chinh, let him lead us to where he want to go or else he will find a way to leave in the middle of the night. We will have no peace.
I give him a bag, and told him to put his train set in there and he will lead us to where he wants to go. And lead us, he did. He went to a house near the main road and on the front porch was a toy box and is full of Thomas the engine train set. He put the incomplete set in there and left. Chinh and I was so touch. Alex is trying to tell us that's where it belong. Instead of being upset that it's incomplete, he found a home for it. How did he knows that box have the train set in it? Chinh goes running all the time and must have pass that house a hundred time and he said he never even notice the toy box on the porch.
“Alex is trying to tell us that’s where it belong. Instead of being upset that it’s incomplete, he found a home for it. ”
So Chinh walk them home while I went and ring the door bell to explain what just happen to the owner. This elderly lady came out in her pj and I introduce myself and explain what happen. I told her if you find some new Thomas the engine stuff, it's from my son.
She went over and open the box and saw it. She said these are expensive, would you like to take it back for him. And I told her no, he give it to you. She have 3 grandchildren and when they visit her they play with it.
She said, Alex just made a connection for us. She told me her eldest son is 50 and when he was young, he was misdiagnose as being autistic. Today, he own his own company in Iowa. She said you and I have to talk. It was a cold evening and she was shivering and I keep telling her to go in and she just want to keep talking.
I just meet a nice cool person because of Alex. Alex always have a reason, we just need to let him lead us. Tonight moment, give me strength to handle all the hardship.
Mary Le is the mother of two grown children with autism, including Alex who is a super genius at jigsaw puzzles. They live in San Jose, California.
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