Helping Tyler
TESTIMONIALS
My son Michael was diagnosed with Autism at 18 months old. He is Globally Delayed and has severe Sensory Issues. He is the sweetest little boy with a big heart and loves to cuddle while watching Doc McStuffin. He enjoys going for walks and listening to music. Michael also has Seizure disorder and CP. These diagnosis were hard for my husband and I to understand and finding affordable therapies was just as hard.
We both spoke to lots of friends and wrote letters to organizations. One afternoon a mutual friend of ours just happened to ask the right people. Fight 4 Autism was able to help us. They gave us a beautiful donation to help our son go to a Sensory Gym. At this gym Michael is able to open up and experience exercise in a less demanding atmosphere.
Not only do the woman at Fight 4 Autism help you with monetary assistance they are also extremely supportive. These beautiful woman are knowledgeable and help point you in the direction you need. On many occasions they made me realize I am not alone. They have become part of TEAM MICHAEL and our family.
Thank You So Much!
XOXOXOXOXOXO
The Feczer Family
Last summer my husband and I applied for aid from Fight 4 Autism. We were in desperate need of respite care. Our son Christopher, 15 and our daughter Amanda, 13 are both on the Autism Spectrum. They need assistance/supervision with most daily activities such as showering, getting dressed, and brushing teeth. They have limited speech which often leads to frustration, anger, and tears (to all four of us) because they can't tell us what they need, want, or feel. This frustration then turns into self-injurious behaviors. For Amanda this involves hitting her head (with her hands or against any hard object around her), crying, kicking, and jumping. These meltdowns can last from anywhere from 2 minutes to an hour long! For Christopher, these outbursts can last anywhere from 1 to 30 minutes at a time and consists of biting his hand/arm, crying, and jumping. This leaves us physically and emotionally drained.
Family members used to help us care for our children, but as they got older and stronger it became more difficult for family to assist us. Even though we have a wonderful babysitter, we don't usually have the money to pay her. Our family only has one income coming in because my husband is disabled with MS and depression. This leaves us with barely enough money to pay our monthly bills and services for our children, so an evening break from our children is often not an option.
Last October we were ecstatic when we received an email stating that we will be rewarded $1200 of respite care for a year! This averages out to be about two evenings a month that we are able to get a much needed break from our children. Thank you Fight 4 Autism!!
- Stephen and Stephanie DeFilippis
Baby Blue Eyes
DeFilippis Family
We want to hear from you.
Click the link and Fill out the questionnaire . Send to johannaburke@fight4autism.org
Fight4AutismFamilyQuestionairre.docx
Tyler was born in 1991, and had a sudden regression into autism at the age of 2 years, 11 months, following a well pediatric visit and a subsequent fever of 105.5. Following his regression, he lost verbal skills, motor & coordination skills, toileting skills, and Intellectual abilities. Tyler’s biological father voluntarily, left Tyler’s life, permanently, at this point. Tyler’s behavior became significant. The crying, screaming, and the tantrums that lasted for hours, each day. Tyler and his Mom were living with Tyler’s grandparents, and Mom who provided loving support, and paid privately for therapies that were not covered by insurance. There was no diagnosis back in those days, and there were no other cases of autism to compare him to. The specialists were few and far in between. Tyler was dismissed by a Neurologist in 1995, due to his significant, severe behavioral tantrum, in the office.
Schools couldn’t manage him, and there simply were not many special needs programs, out of district at the time. There were no programs in district, either. Tyler was placed in a Regular Education classroom for years with severe intellectual disabilities. Mom sued the school district twice just to gain appropriate services. When Tyler was 14, he was sent to a Day school for special needs kids, but they couldn’t manage the behavior. Finally, at 16 years old, Tyler got into the right school. NJ realized that they couldn’t manage his educational needs, and sent him to the Wood’s School, in Langhorne, PA. This was Tyler’s first appropriate educational setting ever. It was also a Residential school. He lost very valuable years being shuffled to so many inappropriate school settings. He was evaluated by the Psychiatrist on staff who diagnosed him with autism, and mood disorder. Shining a new light on the diagnosis. He gained a diagnosis of Autism at 16 years old, finally.
The State of New Jersey started a program called “Return Home New Jersey”. It was an initiative to return those cases placed out of state and provide similar care for those kids, in the state, in Group homes. It all sounded good, until we actually came back to NJ in 2013. The care was not similar. Staffing of group homes uses entry level folks, often with significant communication barriers, our challenged kids simply cannot understand the language being utilized. Entry level staff are not trained in any behavioral modification techniques, positive reinforcement. They are instructed, and bound by Danielle’s law to call 911 for behavioral emergency. Within the first year of “Returning Home”, staff had sent him approx. 85 times to the ER, or mental hospital. Following a meeting to formally evict him from his provider, DDD did not find a home that could provide behavioral supports. Months went by, the provider unable to support his behavior appropriately, lead to the provider moving Tyler to a group home that housed extremely severe behavior clients. Mom had not consented to the move, and fought against it. Tyler was moved to the home without consent, and an incident with the new roommates stealing and destroying all of his possession’s, started upon move in. He was frightened and bullied by his rough roommates, and lack of staff control over any behavior. Tyler eloped in the middle of the night trying to get to his Mother’s house, where he did not have to fear for his life, while at home. His group home called the police, and evicted him on the spot. The state police took him to jail.
Sept 18, 2015, The Hunterdon County Jail system called Mom to inform that Tyler is safe, and being held on the medical unit, out of the general population due to his severe autism, and intellectual disabilities that were realized upon admission to the jail. Kudo’s to the Hunterdon County Jail system for recognizing autism, and going the extra mile to identify, and take special care of a special needs Autistic man. Clip of Tyler’s arraignment, http://www.njtvonline.org/news/video/one-familys-struggle-with-return-home-nj/#.VBzP4AFoQk0.facebook
Tyler spent 19 days in jail because DDD, state of NJ did not have a place for Tyler to go that could manage his behavior, and there was a moratorium on Returning to out of state placements. Tyler was stuck in a system that was unable to care for him, and couldn’t go back to a system that could care for him. He was placed by DDD in an Emergency capacity temporary group home. There were no psychiatric day programs in place since returning. DDD was not forthcoming in putting the pieces in place for a successful community setting. 30 minutes of getting to the Temporary Emergency Group home, the staff had also called the police, and Tyler was taken by the police to the hospital. (He was out of jail for 1 hour). The hospital held him in the ER until a bed was available at Trinitas Hospital. The one and only psych hospital in the state that will take an intellectually impaired person with autism.
Fight4autism, Johana Burke, ESQ. reached out and offered to help Tyler, and things have gotten so much better with the legal support we needed. Since fight4autism took on his case, Tyler is in a day program with a psychiatric focus, run by trained psychologists and staff. He is in a group home that has mental health trained staff who work well supporting Tyler’s needs. Tyler still has visits to the ER, and significant behavior, we have come a long way since being in jail. Thanks to fight4autism, who continue to monitor the state’s provisions of support services.
Tyler enjoys playing basketball. He loves tattoos, and has 2 of them. He loves Tigers. Tyler loves his family, consisting of his Mom, step father, and 2 younger brothers. He loves animals and wants to volunteer in an animal shelter. He is trying to find the right girlfriend.
He is my hero. He has been since the day he was born. He has taught me patience, and to stand up and fight. I am a better person for having him in my life. Rita O’Grady, RN.
Fight 4 Autism
Fight 4 Autism Gives Back to the Community:
In year 2021 Fight 4 Autism donated the following:
donated $250 for Millville family for a speech app
donated $600 for Bridgewater family for an iPad
donated $500 for Paramus family for an iPad
In year 2020 Fight 4 Autism donated the following:
donated $800 for East Rutherford family for bunk beds donated $1000 for medical expenses for Ridgewood family
donated $500 for Lyndhurst family for after school care donated $1500 for respite care for Ridgewood family
In year 2019 Fight4 Autism donated the following :
donated $1000 for Paterson Family for rent and iPad donated $1000 to Ridgewood Family for respite care
donated $1000 for Ridgewood Family for therapies donated $1000 to Ridgewood Family for medical expenses
donated $1000 for Pompton Lakes Family for rent donated $500 for Paterson Family for PSE & G
donated $750 for Oakland Family for respite care donated $1000 for Pompton Lakes Family for a fence
donated $420 to Hoboken Fire Department for autism safety kits donated $700 for Pompton Lakes Family for respite care
donated $1500 for Hawthorne Family for a pool donated $1500 for Hawthorne Family for a pool
donated $500 for Hawthorne Family for respite care donated $600 for Hawthorne Family for a fence
donated $1000 for Nutley Family for therapies donated $1000 to Nutley Family for respite care
donated $1000 for Nutley Family for after school care donated $1000 to Nutley Family for medical expenses
donated $1000 for Hawthorne Family for respite care donated $1000 to Hawthorne Family for Advocate
donated $1000 for Hawthorne Family for therapies donated $1000 to Hawthorne Family for evaluations
donated $1000 for Nutley Family for respite care donated $1000 to Elmwood Park family for groceries
donated $700 for Hawthorne Family for sensory items donated $500 to Wannaque Family for headphones
donated $500 for Rutherford Family for iPad donated $500 for Lyndhurst Family for iPad
donated $500 for Saddle Brook Family for prescriptions donated $1000 for Garfield family for respite care
donated $1000 for Lyndhurst Family for respite care donated $500 for Hawthorne Family for sensory items
donated $2000 for Hawthorne Family for summer camp donated $2000 for Saddle Brook Family for therapies
donated $1500 for Hawthorne Family for respite care donated $1300 for Ridgewood Family for therapies
donated $650 for Pompton Lakes Family for a fence donated $1200 for Hawthorne Family for respite care
donated $800 for Saddle Brook Family for respite care donated $400 for Clifton Family for a service dog
donated $400 for Ridgefield Park Family for after school care donated $300 for Rutherford Family for sensory items
donated $1000 for Toms River Family for prescriptions
In year 2018 Fight 4 Autism donated the following:
donated $2000 for Ridgewood Family for respite care donated $1000 to Rutherford Family for Advocate
donated $1500 for Hawthorne Family for respite care donated $1200 to Hawthorne Family for respite care
donated $500 for IPad for Hopatcong Family donated $2000 to Hawthorne Family for summer camp
donated $3600 for Hawthorne School District Special Education program donated $1500 to Oakland Family for medical expenses
donated $425 for Hawthorne Family for Advocate donated $2000 to Oakland Family for respite care
donated $3000 for Runnemede Family for respite care donated $1500 to Ridgewood Family for therapies
donated $1100 to Saddle Brook Family for after school care donated $2000 to Saddle Brook Family for evaluations
donated $600 to Hawthorne Family for music therapy donated $500 to Ridgefield Family for IPad
donated $150 to Toms River Family for sensory items donated $250 to Perth Amboy Family for sensory items
donated $150 to Hawthorne Family for sensory items donated $100 to Lyndhurst Family for medical expenses
donated $1000 to Pompton Lakes Family for respite care donated $1000 to Oakland Family for medical expenses
donated $850 for IPad for Perth Amboy Family donated $650 to Hawthorne Family for treadmill
donated $650 to Elmwood Park Family for medical expenses donated $465 to Elmwood Park Family for sensory sandbox
donated $350 to Hawthorne Family for clothing donated $250 to Hawthorne Family for prescription expenses
donated $1000 to Keansburg Family for a bed donated $1000 to Saddle Brook Family for therapies
donated $450 to Pompton Lakes Family for social skills therapies donated $500 to Paterson Family for respite care
In year 2017 Fight 4 Autism donated the following:
donated $450 for Pompton Lakes family for respite care donated $2000 for Ridgewood family for respite care
donated $1000 for Ridgewood Family for after school therapies donated $1250 for Oakland Family for evaluations
donated $600 for Saddle Brook Family for after school therapies donated $800 for Hawthorne Family for hippo therapy
donated $2000 for Saddle Brook Family for respite care donated $200 for Pompton Lakes Family for treadmill
donated $1000 for Hawthorne Family for respite care donated $750 for Hawthorne Family for music therapy
donated $500 for IPad for Hopatcong Family donated $1500 for West New York Family for social skills camp
donated $950 for Woodcliff Lake Family for after school therapies donated $200 for Hawthorne Family for sensory therapy items
donated $1000 for Wayne Family for respite care donated $100 for Prospect Park Family for sensory therapy items
donated $100 for Toms River Family for sensory therapy items donated $1000 for Hawthorne Family for respite care
donated $100 for Hawthorne Special Needs Program-middle school donated $750 for Passaic Family for physical therapy
donated $3900 for Hawthorne School District Special Education Program donated $1000 for Hawthorne Family for respite care
donated $1000 for Barnegat Family for respite care donated $1000 for South Amboy Family for respite care
donated$1000 for Flemington Family for respite care donated $500 for IPad for Ridgefield Park Family
donated $500 for IPad for Rutherford Family donated $700 for LapTop & GPS for Franklinville Family
donated $800 for Hopatcong Family for prescription expenses donated $350 for Clifton Family for swimming lessons
donated $500 for Laptop for Hawthorne Family donated $1200 for Dunellen Family for evaluations
donated $600 for Hawthorne Family for exercise bike & mini-trampoline donated $550 for Hawthorne Family for summer camp
donated $900 for bunk beds for Hackensack Family donated $840 for medical evaluations for Perth Amboy family
In year 2016 Fight 4 Autism donated the following:
donated $500 for IPad -family in Ridgewood donated $2000 toward yard fencing for family in Ridgewood
donated $1050 for respite care for family in Pompton Lakes donated $500-Allendale Family for independent speech evaluation
donated $500-Hawthorne Family to pay for respite care donated $500-Saddle Brook Family to pay for after school therapies
donated $800-Hawthorne Family to pay for hippo therapy donated $500-Saddle Brook Family to pay for after school therapies
donated $200-Pompton Lakes Family to pay for after school therapies donated $200-Hawthorne Family to pay for after school therapy
donated $1350-Ridgewood Family to pay for respite care donated $2000-Hawthorne Special Ed program
donated $750-Nutley Family to pay for sensory gym therapy donated $750-Hawthorne Family to pay for music therapy
donated $600-Teaneck Family to pay for respite care donated $750-Hopatcong Family for respite care
In year 2015 Fight 4 Autism donated the following:
donated $500 for IPad - family in Lodi
donated $900 for respite care for family in Pompton Lakes
donated $500 for IPad - family in Nutley