Back to all films

Andy was born with congenital brain damage and he remembers his childhood as challenging; he spent his days following garden hoses and staring at clocks while his “rageaholic” father threatened to have him institutionalized. But his mother nurtured his interests, and eventually Andy went to college and then to graduate school. He knew he was different but didn’t find out why until he was 48 years old, and diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum. Today he fully embraces his “Aspie” identity, and is an avid marathon and ultra-marathon runner. “Running is the perfect Aspie sport,” he tells us, describing the repetition of one foot in front of the other for very long periods of time as being “soothing, simple, and serene.” He is also a prolific artist, and recently quit his job delivering mail for a Boston law firm to do landscaping and yard work for private customers. “It perfectly blends my love of repetition and being outdoors with my artistic talents,” he says. Andy’s story is about following passions and discovering self-esteem.