Media Home
UN Web TV
UN Audiovisual Library
UN PhotoUN / AUTISM RON SUSKIND
Download
There is no media available to download.
Share
STORY: UN / AUTISM RON SUSKIND
TRT: 2.33
SOURCE: UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 02 APRIL 2014, NEW YORK CITY
RECENT
1. Wide shot, exterior shot, United Nations Headquarters
02 APRIL 2014, NEW YORK CITY
2. Wide shot, ECOSOC chamber
3. Med shot, Ron Suskind sitting in ECOSOC chamber
4. Wide shot, autistic children sitting at the meeting
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Ron Suskind, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and author:
“My son helped me see things more deeply. You know, I read a lot about people who was left behind in the city, African American kids, in America, Appalachia, tough lives and interestingly, I never really asked deep questions about myself about how I really view them; and my son, being a left-behind person, helped me see them clearly for who they are.”
6. Wide shot, Ron Suskind speaking next to the podium
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Ron Suskind, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and author:
“I’d say you have to fight and fight with all your might. You know, people will not understand. You will not get services. You’ll have to learn to be an activist. For many parents it is just so burdensome and they need assistance. They need to fight for them and society needs to step up for all societies. No parent can handle the costs, the breathtaking costs to educate an autistic child and give them the therapy and the medical attention they need. It’s simply untenable; and it’s a failing society if that is not corrected. Plain and simple.”
8. Wide shot, Ron Suskind talking to autistic children at the meeting
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Ron Suskind, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and author:
“This is a global issue. This is everywhere in the world. There are 70 million people globally and the numbers are going up. You can’t afford not to put money into it. Period. That’s what I would say to governments and societies.”
10. Wide shot, Ron Suskind talking to autistic children at the meeting
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Ron Suskind, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and author:
“My son –now 23- again, he will always be autistic. You know, it’s not a spell that gets broken. It’s a way of being. You know, he said the other day, he said “you know, I’m realizing that the autism was hard, but it made me stronger; and I just nodded. That is the way of life and it is not different for them or for any of us.”
12. Wide shot, Ron Suskind greeting autistic children and walks to the podium
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author Ron Suskind spoke today (2 Apr) –World Autism Awareness Day- at the UN about his family’s 20-year journey with their son Owen’s autism.
During a special event at the ECOSOC chamber, Suskind described how his son developed regressive autism jus before he was 3, losing all communication abilities, but still watching Disney animated movies.
He explained that those movies were the only thing that gave his son comfort; and age 6 Owen started to speak but with dialogue from the Disney films, and the family started to role-play as Disney characters.
In an interview with UNIFEED, he stressed that his son helped him to see things more deeply.
He said that, being a journalist, he read a lout about people who were left behind and his son helped him to see them clearly from who they are.
Asked about what he would say to parents who just learned about their child being autistic he said “you have to fight and fight with all your might.”
He added “people will not understand. You will not get services. You’ll have to learn to be an activist. For many parents it is just so burdensome and they need assistance.”
Suskind underlined that parents with autistic children need to fight for them and society needs to step up for all societies.
He said “no parent can handle the costs, the breathtaking costs to educate an autistic child and give them the therapy and the medical attention they need. It’s simply untenable; and it’s a failing society if that is not corrected. Plain and simple.”
Regarding his message today to the international community, he said “this is a global issue. This is everywhere in the world. There are 70 million people globally and the numbers are going up. You can’t afford not to put money into it. Period. That’s what I would say to governments and societies.”
Suskind also said “my son –now 23- again, he will always be autistic. You know, it’s not a spell that gets broken. It’s a way of being. You know, he said the other day “you know, I’m realizing that the autism was hard, but it made me stronger; and I just nodded. That is the way of life and it is not different for them or for any of us.”
The United Nations General Assembly unanimously declared 2 April as World Autism Awareness Day to highlight the need to help improve the lives of children and adults who suffer from the disorder so they can lead full and meaningful lives.
