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I had been thinking for months (at the beginning of our autism journey) or so about how to connect with others living with Autism. My daughter was diagnosed at 18 months with PDD/NOS (she is now 7 years old).

I had no clue what to do with that diagnoses. I knew I was not alone and with the statistics being so high, I knew we had lots of families in the Northland that felt the same way I did.

I thought about why we are not united together?   I wondered why I was seeing posters and ads for walks about everything in the Northland but not autism.

My first thought was….I am going to start a walk…this was when my daughter Lilly was 2 and then I realized that I had no clue where to start or what to do so I put it on the back burner of my mind so I could wrap my brain exclusively around my family and how we were going to start this journey of autism.

Lilly had been a part of ECSE in home program and when they told me it was time to send her to school…my mind was reeling. My baby can not go to school before my oldest child…it just didn’t seem right at the time and I felt so torn and a little afraid to leave my toddler with people I hardly knew.  In the end…sending her to Nettleton was the best decision I could have even made for her and from letting go of my fears and anxiety …came the doors that have opened for my daughter and the birth of Autism Walk Northland.

I remember getting Lil off the bus and with her unable to tell me about her day, I had to rely on the notes her teachers sent home. We hardly ever made to the house without my hands in her folder to hear about her day. One day I had an extra note in the folder and was Kim Seguin and an idea for a walk. The light bulb turned back on and my thoughts of how much I wanted that, too.  I contacted Kim and we talked for hours about our thoughts, vision and what we both wanted/what our goals were.

I knew with another parent that wanted it as much as I did …that we could make the walk a reality.

We clicked and our first walk seemed to fall into place. I remember having the feeling of togetherness at the first walk that I so longed for since Lil’s diagnosis.  I was proud and felt that raising money for our ASD programs, bringing families together and the public awareness was achieved and continues to grow with each walk.  I am proud of all of our teams and I still get chocked up every year when I see everyone coming together in the name of Autism and turning something that is so difficult sometimes into a fun day of not having to feel like you have to “explain your child” to anyone.

This walk belongs to all of us.. and we hope it continues to help others and unite us in the name of love and togetherness.