Managing a teenager with autism is no easy feat. Sherry Lynn Hillard knows that truth better than anyone, after six police officers have been called to her home in the past week because of her son John’s meltdowns that turned to rage.
Sherry writes on Facebook that the officers who came to her house had so much empathy for her son during some of his most difficult moments.
“With so much negativity shown towards law enforcement lately, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to show my appreciation for the empathy these officers had for my son.”
John’s meltdown on this particular day stemmed from him wanting to dress like Joe on Blue’s Clues. But even after searching relentlessly, Sherry couldn’t find a shirt to match Joe’s anywhere.
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When they showed up to Sherry’s house, they didn’t know much about autism, let alone how to handle someone whose meltdown is out of their own control.
“But they listened and learned while they kept us all safe.”
Sherry says the three officers that showed up on this day asked “A LOT” of questions to ensure they responded to John in the best and safest way possible.
“After calming him down, the officers went and bought a blue shirt and with Jenn’s fabric markers they attempted to create the shirt John wants.”
She posted a picture of the three officers crafting up a special shirt for John on the hood of their patrol car, showing how they went “above and beyond to help a severely autistic teenage boy!”
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Unfortunately, their efforts didn’t work—just one of the things that comes along with navigating the seas of autism.
“But the fact that they were willing to do this for my son made them heroes in my eyes.”
