In the wee hours of the morning of June 24, Robert and Annie’s 22-year-old, non-verbal, profoundly autistic son Michael quietly escaped from the family home, wandered out of the neighborhood, and was struck by a car. Fortunately, the driver called 911, and Michael was rushed to the hospital and treated for head trauma with a brain bleed. At 6AM, the family realized Michael was gone, searched the neighborhood, and called the sheriff, who came to the house, identified Michael from a photo, and delivered the devastating news. Michael spent a week in ICU, another week in trauma care, and was then sent to inpatient rehab. Annie and her husband, who have two other special needs children, have been rotating shifts at the hospital and rehab while still trying to care for the kids at home. If you don’t have profoundly autistic friend or family members, you might not know that someone like Michael requires non-stop parental support in the hospital. He can never be left alone. Michael has been on the waitlist for the Innovations waiver (which provides in-home and in-community supports for profoundly disabled children/adults) for almost two decades. The family has eked out their existence alone for all this time. They’ve applied for SSI/Medicaid for Michael, but that still hasn’t been granted. Simply put, this family desperately needs our support. I would have set this up as a meal train, but with the demands and peculiarities of autism, honestly, cash support and gift cards are what would help most. I ask that you search your hearts and give what you can.