Autism means friendship

July 21, 2013 8:10 AM

Tommy Des Brisay is a Canadian runner and para-athlete living with autism. While running, Tommy often chants "I think I can...", recites lines from Disney movies, or sings. He has a YouTube channel where he posts his dances with Disney princesses and mini documentaries about his life.
posted by roomthreeseventeen (3 comments total)

There's a lot of criticism to be made about Disney, but those princess videos show just how absolutely right they get some things, including the utter respect the cast members give people with special needs.
posted by xingcat at 8:24 AM on July 21, 2013 [1 favorite]

Ha, I didn't see that he was in Ottawa until I suddenly recognized his dad (in the first video) - my high school science teacher! And I play soccer every week in the dome he was running in! I'll have to keep an eye out for him now. He looks like a cool kid. Thanks for sharing!
posted by randomnity at 8:38 AM on July 21, 2013 [2 favorites]

Wonderful stuff--you can tell he is athletically gifted, but just as importantly, he genuinely enjoys the training and the competitions. His parents and friends seem so lovely and supportive.

(I got a kick out of the "making of" video where they showed the camera operator being towed in a baby trailer behind a bike, so they could film Tommy running.)
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 2:55 PM on July 21, 2013