It’s the season for lots of parties, and it’s a very special party held every year by a local autistic mother.
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Demetrial Walker founded the Jacksonville Autistic Society in 2019 for people with autism like her son Sha’michael.
“My son is not sick. He doesn’t have a disease. He happens to have autism. To me, that’s what makes him special,” Wogt told Action News Jax.
Also special is the annual Christmas party that Walker has hosted for the past two years. Celebrating Jacksonville’s Autism Community.
“Events like this help people leave home with children they don’t judge,” Walker explained.
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JAS’s goal is to enable early diagnosis of people with autism. It’s also meant to show people that anyone with autism can do the same as anyone else, whether you’re on the spectrum or not.
“as [my son] As he got older, he continued to do things a little later than other kids, but he still did it,” Walker explained. was autistic, I could have done better if I had known.”
Walker is doing well now raising her son and her Christmas party this year went all out. But she didn’t do it alone.
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Walker’s childhood friend, Michael Friend, has two teenage children with autism. Having watched his JAS grow over the past two years, he wanted to make the party even more special this year by introducing the first-ever Santa’s Little Angel Christmas Run.
“I’ve arranged for motorcycles, jeeps and cars to run, and part of the entry fee was cash or cash and toys to reduce the entry fee,” he said.
Santa’s Little Angel Christmas Run has collected over 50 presents for JAS.
Walker’s ultimate goal is to create a recreation center for all children with autism in Jacksonville. When Action News’ Jax asked her if she could tell someone who has autism and is looking for advice, she responded: I accept you for who you are, so talk to me. “
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