Mary Moran Heller
Mary Moran Heller was a human rights lawyer before the birth of her first child, Ryan. When Ryan was diagnosed with autism at age three, she left her career to dedicate herself to helping him. Raised with his two younger sisters on a farm in Sebastopol, CA, Ryan spent his school years in life-skills classes and was considered profoundly cognitively impaired.
After Ryan aged out of school, Mary read Underestimated: An Autism Miracle by J.B. Handley, about a nonspeaking autistic young man who learned to communicate through spelling. Mary tried the method with Ryan, and his intelligence and inner life emerged. Today, Ryan is a poet, lyricist, math major, and advocate for other nonspeaking people. He has friendships and a girlfriend who also communicates through spelling. Ryan believes experts must listen to autistic people who have found their voices and takes seriously his role advocating for those still unable to communicate. As Ryan says, he loves his life.