Autism Awareness Week
Tess Endrey
To celebrate Autism Awareness Week at school, Tess Endrey (Year 10) decided to run a fundraiser for Giant Steps and to show the High School a different perspective in relation to people living with autism by exploring what normal life is for her and her family, with her elder sister, Emma. Here are some highlights from her courageous and inspiring speech:
“Google defines normal as conforming to a standard; usual, typical, or expected.
I somewhat disagree with this statement as I believe it should only refer to personal experiences and matters. As in to say, “My normal is…”.
When we were little, before school, I think everyone thought their life was ‘normal’ because they had nothing to compare it to. As I grew older, I thought my life was not normal as my family life didn’t flow the way everyone else’s seemed to. This is because of my big sister. Her name is Emma and for her entire life, she has lived with severe autism.
My sister is now 20. She can communicate what she wants but in only single words or simple phrases. She cannot actually speak in a typical conversation and instead expresses her emotions with actions, not words. Her emotions are typically expressed in high pitch screams, cries and hysterical laughing. She has a functioning body which is amazing. She loves her computer, iPad and iPod and can navigate within these technologies more easily than communicating. She loves ABBA, the Wiggles and many other 2000’s kid’s TV shows and likes repetition…
Now growing up, this was my normal. I was brought up thinking that this is how all siblings were and as the younger child I looked up to Emma. I copied her actions because that was my normal. When my sister would laugh hysterically for minutes on end I would join her, and I never understood what was happening.
Starting school, my life was just fine but, forming friendships was extremely weird, because the only friend I ever had was Emma. Meeting people typically like me was so cool but kind of confusing. Especially going to people’s houses and their siblings acting like me.
My afternoons feature me at my desk, doing my homework with my headphones on to distract me from the screaming. As Emma has learnt more about the world, the little things bug her, and when we can’t control these things there is screaming. But not all the time. Sometimes it’s silent, sometimes there is dramatic crying and like I said before, uncontrollable laughter. And you can always hear her music. If WSFM isn’t playing in the car, we cannot physically leave the driveway.
So, this is my normal, and yes, it probably looks very different to your day to day life, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything because Emma has shaped me into who I am today.”
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Here is the touching video from Giant Steps that Tess showed at the end of her speech.
Some pictures from activities through the week:
