When the message went around last week that today was the day to post in support of Mikaela Lynch‘s family, and others who have lost children to elopement, I quickly responded that I would participate. Then I spent several days turning the subject over in my mind, unable to come up with a coherent idea of what to write.
The truth is, I don’t want to think about this.
I don’t want to think about the fact that 49% of autistic children engage in elopement behavior.*
I don’t want to think about a third of those children being unable to communicate any information about themselves.*
I don’t want to think about parents having to lay their child to rest.
And I don’t want to think about the guilt and pain that those parents will feel, even though it wasn’t their fault.
And the fact that some very irresponsible people wrote horrible things about the family, suggesting they somehow did something wrong? I don’t want to think about that, either. BUT, you can click on the following image to send a message to the employer of a writer who was particularly hurtful to the family during the nightmare they endured. It will not give any traffic to the writer whatsoever, but will allow you to email the employer and let them know that her actions were reprehensible.
If you are the parent of an autistic child, or are a friend or relative of one, please use and share these resources:
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My deepest sympathy and most heartfelt condolences are with Mikaela’s family, as well as others who have lost their child. It’s simply an unimaginable horror.
May they find peace.
Living on the Spectrum: The Connor Chronicles 
I don’t want to think of this either, it’s my worst fear with Alex. My heart goes out to these families.
There is an awful lot of judging going around when things like this happen. The most ignorant.. “What was the child running away from??!” or “Where were the parents??!” How about shut up unless you know more about autism than what you saw on Rainman? It is our greatest nightmare and I also don’t want to think about this.
What a wonderful way to get across the point about the unethical coverage by so-called journalists and a clever way to report said journalist without giving her article any undue and unwarranted popularity. Very well said.
This is beyond sad….