Dad’s Post Leads to Outpouring of Support for Autistic Boy

Dad’s Post Leads to Outpouring of Support for Autistic Boy
The Associated Press
9/23/2016
Updated:
9/23/2016

ROCKAWAY, N.J.—The father of a New Jersey boy with autism says he’s “humbled and grateful” for messages of support after his Facebook post lamenting his son’s lack of friends went viral.

Bob Cornelius shared a picture of a school worksheet Monday on which his 11-year-old son put down “no one” when asked to list some of his friends. Cornelius writes that he hopes by sharing the picture and his son’s story parents will let their children know that kids with special needs “notice when others exclude them” and “are very much in tune when they are treated differently from everyone else.”

The post has been shared more than 22,000 times as of Friday morning, and Cornelius writes that he’s been inundated with messages of support for his son.