Horace Mann - Winter 2012 - (Page 15)

celebrating 125 years: preparing great and giving lives through a lot of things at home, and i didn’t want to reveal anything. i started writing about chris, because i had to. My skills were there, and it was time to put them to use.” Since Breaking Autism’s Barriers’ publication over a decade ago Davis has continued his mission to “give chris a voice.” in 2002 he published Dangerous Encounters: Avoiding Perilous Situations with Autism, with co-author Wendy Goldband Schunick, to give the public, and especially emergency and security workers, insights on how to interact with a person with autism, particularly during a stressful situation. Davis also began conducting autism training workshops for police, fire fighters, emergency room workers, parents and support groups, and speaking throughout the country, at conferences, universities and before congress. With his personal message of “Don’t Hurt My child” he is the resident Safety advocate expert for autism Today, an advocacy and support organization. Davis answers questions online from parents, teachers and school administrators, always sharing his personal contact information for further questions. He has held leadership positions in state and national autism organizations, lobbied legislators on behalf of can (cure autism now), and is a founder and board member of pathfinders, an organization dedicated to forming an autism research center. Davis was also honored with Temple University’s end the victim’s Silence advocacy award and by the pennsylvania State Senate for work with the police and the disabled. A life of extremes inspires others, the yAnkees included in 2002, Parents magazine carried a profile of the Davis family. That was when there was a family to profile. not long after, Jae Davis fell victim to cancer. bill had spread himself thin during the years he was caring for chris while attending to his wife’s illness. not able to maintain a full time job, and tapped of his resources after Jae’s illness, bill and chris found themselves homeless. “We stayed with friends for as long as they could have us. i was able to get us into some hotels for a few weeks at a time. Some nights we slept in a park. luckily i had a gym membership that hadn’t expired, so we showered at the gym, to keep up our hygiene,” recalled Davis. His primary concern was maintaining a sense of security that was so important to his son. “Wherever we were i created a routine for chris.” living frugally on odd job earnings, bill eventually put enough money together to “settle into a small hotel.” His first purchase was a cell phone. “i called everyone i knew to tell them i was available for lectures or consulting. i started writing again and doing part-time jobs until we were able to get a nice little apartment.” Managing to arrange care for chris, Davis returned to bartending, and became friendly with co-worker Kate cannon. The friendship evolved into a romance. “Kate was great with chris, and he took to her. one night chris reached for her and said ‘i love you Kate.’ i knew we had to be a family,” Davis said. in the style of extremes that has characterized his life bill Davis wasn’t content to simply ask Kate to marry. instead, he put his writing skills to work again, and entered a “final engagement” contest. The assignment: To write, in 250 words or less, why he should be the last person to propose marriage in the former yankee Stadium before it was retired in 2008. bill’s essay about chris, Jae, Kate and her love for chris and for the ny yankees was selected from among 8,000 entries. The contest was sponsored by Michael c. fina jewelers, Hearts on fire diamonds, the yankees, and pitching ace Mariano rivera, on behalf of the Mariano rivera foundation. Davis’ story moved the judges, including rivera, whose foundation focuses on children. Thus, Davis and Kate traveled to new york for one of the final games at the old stadium. arriving by limo to vip seats, Kate considered this a pretty good prize. but, bill hadn’t revealed all the details, as Kate learned when he appeared on the stadium’s Diamontron screen, talking to none other than Mariano rivera in a pre-recorded video. and then, as the cameras switched live to the couple in their seats, bill presented Kate with a 1.5 carat, Hearts on fire diamond ring. “over the years i had crashed, gotten up, and then crashed again,” said bill. “i felt this was a sign, that, this time, things were going to be oK.” Autism tomorrow That brings us to Autism Tomorrow—the book Davis published a year later. With Kate’s support for both chris and himself Davis was able to return to his advocate’s mission. His book tackles the burning questions shared by everyone with concerns about a child with autism headed toward adulthood, including whether the child will be able to live on his or her own, find employment, marry and become a parent. The book also offers guidance on estate planning, independent living, nutrition, fitness, employment, safety, puberty, sexuality, dating, bullying, social skills and communication, and speaks to perhaps the most pressing issue for parents: whether their child will be secure in their eventual absence. Davis acknowledges that his evolution as a writer was tempered by his personal journey. “i wrote my first book during some tumultuous times. in my latest book i apologize for some of the anger i displayed then,” he said. bill Davis continues to lecture around the country, and offer advice online. Some of his topics hint at the arduous experiences that transformed him from that “irishpunk” into a responsible dad. among these are “How to ease the stress of raising a child with autism; the effects autism has on siblings; helping your child secure friendships; dealing with being left out socially.” perhaps most gripping is “how to enjoy your child.” for bill Davis the journey continues. He invites the many who turn to him for advice to host a community lecture, and provides bulk copies of his book at a substantial discount. as proof that his fun side still lives, he continues to take questions at the email address of: irishpunkbd@yahoo.com. $ Horace mann magazine Winter 2012 15

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Horace Mann - Winter 2012

Horace Mann - Winter 2012
Contents
Letters
Greetings from Dr. Tom Kelly
Greetings from Melissa Parento ’90
Horace Mann School’s 125th Anniversary Observances Begin
Strategic Thinking
New Initiatives in Institutional Research and Admissions
HM's New Director of College Counseling
Timothy HO and Monica Merlo are 2011 Tina and Dave Bellet Teaching Excellence Award Winners
Langfan Oratorical Contest, 2011
Horace Mann School Graduates 178 in June, 2011
Alumni Council Corner
Bookshelf
Class Notes
Memorials
Philanthropy and You

Horace Mann - Winter 2012