Autistic 13-Year-Old Asks Obama to Light White House Blue
Monica Holloway's autistic son Wills
April 2nd marks the fourth annual World Autism Awareness Day, and one autistic teen is hoping President Obama will take celebrating it seriously. The operators of prominent buildings across North America and the world — including the Empire State Building and the CN Tower in Toronto, Canada — have pledged to turn their lights blue on the evenings of April 1 and 2, 2011 to raise autism awareness. That’s quite an achievement, since Anthony Malkin, the president of the Empire State Building, refused to turn its lights blue in honor of Mother Teresa’s 100th birthday back in August.
Author Monica Holloway’s son Wills has written a letter asking the President to join “me, my parents, and my two service dogs as we light our house blue,” adding, “If you need blue light bulbs, there is a store here on Ventura Boulevard where we can buy them for you and send them to the White House. My mom knows how to send things by Federal Express.”
According to Autism Speaks, the organization sponsoring World Autism Awareness Day, “Today, 1 in 110 American children is diagnosed with autism.” To read Wills’ letter and to learn more about his struggle with autism, click here. To find out how to get involved in World Autism Awareness Day, visit their site.
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