Anthony Y, age 13

Photograph by Jamie Organ (2022)

Anthony is a natural-born comedian with an innate sense of comedic timing. He is talented and fearless, and everyone who is lucky enough to meet him loves him.

In his free time, you may find Anthony playing the guitar or ukulele, drawing or riding his bike. He acts in plays at the Town Theatre’s youth program and the Columbia Children’s Theater. He loves Legos, trains (especially steam trains), and learning about history.

Although he has multiple medical conditions including autism and sensory processing disorder, Anthony’s mom is so proud of by his progress and resilience. “He has been in various therapies for most of his life,” she says. “Some changes came faster than others. Some are still a work in progress. Through it all, he has never given up. He always keeps pushing through.” She wants everyone to know that Anthony is an asset to his family, school, and community.

Anthony es un cómico nato con un sentido innato de la comicidad. Tiene talento y es intrépido, y todos los que tienen la suerte de conocerle le adoran.

En su tiempo libre, se puede encontrar a Anthony tocando la guitarra o el ukelele, dibujando o montando en bicicleta. Actúa en obras del programa juvenil del Town Theatre y del Columbia Children’s Theater. Le encantan los Legos, los trenes (especialmente los de vapor) y aprender sobre historia.

A pesar de que padece varias enfermedades, como el autismo y el trastorno de procesamiento sensorial, la madre de Anthony está muy orgullosa de sus progresos y su capacidad de recuperación. “Ha estado en varias terapias durante la mayor parte de su vida”, dice. “Algunos cambios llegaron más rápido que otros. Algunos siguen siendo un trabajo en curso. A pesar de todo, nunca se ha rendido. Siempre ha seguido adelante”. Quiere que todos sepan que Anthony es un activo para su familia, su escuela y su comunidad.

Family Connection of South Carolina provides services and resources to families who have a child with a disability or specialized healthcare need. Since 1990 we have served more than 100,000 families and today our services are needed more than ever. We focus on parent-to-parent support, guidance with navigating the complex healthcare system, and assistance with school meetings and special education plans.