My name is Louis Scarantino.
I'm 23 years old and I've had Asperger's Syndrome since I was 2 years old. My family (especially my mother) always supported me throughout my life. I had troubles in school and everything else I did in my life and not a lot of people understood my struggles very well. I never gave up and always set high goals for myself. I went for therapy and got all the help I needed to be high functioned and to overcome a lot of my struggles. It led to many great things and amazing moments in my life. I went to an Elton John concert back in 2008 and unexpectedly got front row seats and an autograph. I graduated college cum laude with nothing but A's and B's while attending. On top of it all, I went to Las Vegas for the first time in my life in October 2013 to see an idol of mine who is country pop singer Shania Twain. Shania was bringing fans on stage during her Vegas show Still the One and I took it upon myself to get up from the 11th row and told her I was from PA and she told me to come up to the stage by saying "Come on up here Pennsylvania". After the other fans she brought up and I got a picture with Shania, she took MY hand and guided me to the stone I was going to sit on. She sat right next to me and performed three songs. To all families and people who have or know someone with autism, I encourage all of you to never give up on them because anything is possible for them too. Their dreams can come true just like mine did. I hope to get married next and do a lot of other great things in my life and I encourage all of you people with autism to do the same. Because of all I accomplished and all of the amazing moments I had, having autism isn't that bad. God bless!
Old Forge, PA
