11/02/2025
"My daughter Hailee is 25 years old. She has Severe Autism, Limited Communication, and Global Developmental Delays. We put her in a group home a month ago, and I still haven’t processed the situation yet, because how do you spend 25 years caregiving and suddenly let go and no longer have that responsibility? Since Hailee was 5 years old, I have been asked many times through the years, 'When will I put her in a group home?' and every time I was asked that question, I wished people knew it was a kick to my gut. For one thing, the thought of putting her in a group home never crossed my mind, and there’s no way I would want someone else to raise my child and miss her growing up through the years because I am her mom.
Hailee was diagnosed with autism when she was almost 3 years old, and back then, you didn’t hear about autism the way you do now. If I had, some things might be different, such as an earlier diagnosis and treatment. I may have handled stares, people shaking their heads, and rude comments better. It bothered me when she had a meltdown in a store, and not one person offered to help. The worst part was that people were laughing at her because of her behavior. People can be mean and judgmental; they have no idea the hurt I felt with those comments and glares, which shook me up and stayed with me for a long time."
-Hailee's mom, Colleen
All information provided by Autism Speaks - https://www.facebook.com/autismspeaks
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