Another Tragic Story so my Laughter is on Hiatus (well almost)

Woke up this morning and got on Facebook to catch up with my outer world.  Was happily catching up with light posts until BAM... this one hit me... click here A four year old boy with Autism drowned in a neighbors pool this past weekend.  His parents had tucked him into bed around 8PM and later when they checked on him around 9 he was missing.  I can't imagine what the family is going through at this moment. They did everything right and loved their little man as they should.  There was a gate around the pool at the neighbors house.  These stories are always the hardest for me to digest!  How can everything be done right but somehow something tragically goes wrong?
To answer this we need to look at the child.  Kids with Autism often lack the fear of danger, they sometimes wander, they love what they love and nothing can keep them away from their passion.  A lot of kids with Autism love water.  It sparkles and moves.  It is really liquid beauty.  A four year old, with or without Autism would likely be drawn to it.  However, a NT four year old would likely have memories of being told to stay back unless an adult is with them.  A four year old child with Autism doesn't have the luxury of  remembering important stuff like that.  It gets garbled with all the other things that they are trying to remember.

I am ashamed to admit that even through this tragedy, I was drawn to the wording of the printed story.  You would think that the loss of this beautiful young life would be the focus of my grief, but alas, one phrase tainted it.  In the news story, the boy was identified as a four year old who suffered from Autism.  And that struck me as unjust.  My son, who has Classic Autism, doesn't suffer from it.  He has never known another life to compare it to so how can he feel a sense of suffering? He doesn't have the social maturity to understand real global suffering.
In all actuality, I think for the most part, he kind of "enjoys" it.  He gets a LOT of attention and cool rewards.  He gets to do many things other kids don't in the name of therapy.  He gets his favorite foods every day without question.  He has a good life.

My heart goes out to this family in Florida and all families who have had tragedy strike their family.  I can't imagine the pain and suffering they are going through.  My hope is that strength will come quickly and healing will follow.   Eventually they will be able to find their bliss again in the memories they have of their sweet little boy.