DUNDALK, Md. — A Dundalk grandmother and grandson have made Autism Speaks annual walk, a family tradition.
Sherri Hamby and her 11-year-old grandson Tristen Jobe plan to participate in this year’s Autism Speaks Walk for the fifth-year in a row.
Hamby said she learned about Autism Speaks after her grandson’s diagnosis with autism. “Tristen is extremely high functioning, very intelligent in ways that kind of scare me sometimes. but then he has issues that or just abilities that are not seen to the naked eye. So, they have to be addressed. “said Hamby.
This busy grandmother, who owns two businesses, attends college online and is raising Tristen and his younger brother is also helping Tristen raise funds that will help other families navigate through the twist and turns that come with an autism diagnosis.
The grandmother and grandson team do all their fundraising online with great success.
“I share all year about Tristen and extraordinary he is and he’s a great drawer. i share his ups and downs. i have some followers on Facebook that talk to me behind the scenes, they don’t know how to handle things. Like I mentioned, I was pretty proactive in getting his 504 turned into an IEP. A lot of people struggle with that and a lot of road blocks.”
The team initially started with a goal of $500. When they surpassed that amount, they decided it was time for more.
“We increased it to 2,500. Now it’s currently sitting at 5,000 but we are a little less than 730 from his 2,500 mark. “said Hamby.
Since joining the organization, Sherri says she has seen tremendous growth as Tristen has learned to accept the challenges of living with autism.
If you want to donate to Tristen’s fundraising page click here. For more on information on Autism Speaks click here.
