Heartland Connection, Vanessa Alonso, 10.10.2013
Temple
Grandin is well known for her work regarding animal behavior in the livestock
industry. She is also one of the most famous autistic activists in the world.
Diagnosed at age 2, her mother Eustacia Cutler, who came to Kirksville recently
as the keynote speaker at the 5th annual disABILITY Awareness Day, believes autism
was always there, it just wasn't recognized.
Temple Grandin's Mother, Eustacia Cutler, talked to KTVO's Vanessa Alonso about how her daughter came over autism and how they are helping others. |
Cutler said
life wasn't very easy for Grandin until she went to high school. At the school
there was a farm with horses and it was there that Grandin discovered she had
an interest in agriculture. At that same time, Grandin met a science teacher
who gave her the inspiration to go to college and work in the ag industry.
Cutler said that social interaction and friendship has helped Grandin come a
long way.
"Looking
back on Temple's life is all the people who helped her, who guided her, who
supported her, and who taught me. We both had to learn along the road together.
We're social creatures. We're dependent on each other to complete us,"
Cutler said.
Today,
Grandin and her mother are now activists for the disorder that affects hundreds
of children every year. They stand up for those families who need a voice.
"They
need help and affection along the way. They can't do it alone. Nobody can do it
alone," Cutler said.
Cutler also
said no matter what we are and what we do, we never stop changing, growing, and
learning.
"What
is normal? Depends what you want to do. What makes character is experience
because our genes change depending on external experience and external
experience is us. We change all our life," Cutler said.
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