| Many think that a diagnosis of autism | | | | game of the season, and scored an |
| means a child is doomed to a lonely life | | | | astonishing 20 points during that time, |
| devoid of any accomplishments. History | | | | some of them from three point range. |
| has proven this theory to be false, and | | | | Most players can't score that high |
| many people with the higher-functioning | | | | throughout an entire game! He has become |
| forms of autism have gone on to do great | | | | an inspiration to many with autism or |
| things. There are some autistic famous | | | | those with autistic children. |
| people who though may have struggled | | | | Actress Daryl Hannah was said to have |
| initially can be an inspiration to | | | | been diagnosed as 'borderline autistic' |
| children with autism, or their parents. | | | | at the age of three, but has gone on to |
| Autism does not have to be a dark and | | | | have a successful career as an actress. |
| lonely existence. Some autistic children | | | | She is probably best known for her role |
| are very bright, and they have a | | | | in the movies Splash and the Kill Bill |
| personality to match. No one with a | | | | series. |
| disability should be underestimated, and | | | | Andy Kaufman (died 1984) was well-known |
| this goes for those with autism as much | | | | for having a very strange and outlandish |
| as for anyone with any other condition. | | | | sense of humor. He is another actor |
| Though it has not been proven, some | | | | thought to have had autism. |
| speculate that Albert Einstein may have | | | | Two very well known artists, Vincent van |
| had a high functioning form of autism. | | | | Gogh and Andy Warhol may have had |
| Because he is no longer alive, there is | | | | autism. They exhibited many traits of |
| no way he can be diagnosed. However, | | | | those with higher functioning types of |
| these theories are popular, and they are | | | | this condition, and were seen as |
| attributed to some behaviors that he | | | | 'eccentric' and brilliant. Autism is |
| demonstrated, and that he was, in his | | | | thought to be the root cause for their |
| own words, very much a loner and did not | | | | bright and unusual personalities and |
| feel particularly connected to anyone, | | | | life choices. Though Courtney Love is |
| even his immediate family members. He | | | | not perhaps the best example of what |
| was brilliant with math, but by some | | | | someone with autism can do, it is |
| accounts, did not begin to speak until | | | | noticed that she was diagnosed at age |
| the age of two or three. He would often | | | | three as 'mildly autistic.' She has had |
| become so involved in his work that he | | | | her ups and down, but her band Hole did |
| would forget to eat meals and if a | | | | enjoy some success. |
| lecture he was giving drew no observers, | | | | Perhaps some of the most well-known |
| he would lecture anyway. Again, this is | | | | people to have this condition were born |
| just a theory, but it would appear that | | | | before an actual diagnosis could be |
| this assumption could be valid. | | | | made. That means that these autistic |
| Jason McElwain is probably one of the | | | | famous people have a diagnosis that is |
| more recent and most inspirational story | | | | based on speculation and things that |
| of a person with autism. He was the | | | | they were known for when they were |
| manager for his school basketball team | | | | alive. Many of these people are |
| at a high school in the suburbs of | | | | important for both historical reasons, |
| Rochester, NY, and practiced shooting | | | | and for bettering the world in a number |
| hoops for hours on end all by himself. | | | | of ways. Examples are Sir Isaac Newton |
| Though he was not technically a member | | | | (mathematician), Wolfgang Mozart |
| of the team due to height and skill | | | | (composer/musician), Charles Darwin |
| level, he loved the game so much he | | | | (naturalist/scientist), and Michelangelo |
| stayed with them. He was allowed to play | | | | (painter/sculptor/architect/poet). |
| in the last four minutes of the last | | | | |