Naperville walk raises awareness, funding for autism care

For family and friends of Tim Feldman, Little Friends' second annual Step Up for Autism Walk in Naperville Sunday was a bittersweet reminder of how far autism awareness has come since his childhood.

While there is greater general understanding of autism in the now 38-year-old Naperville resident's world, that understanding has come at the price of so many more children being diagnosed with it.

"It was 1 in 10,000 then," said Tim's father, Joe Feldman.

"When they told me (Tim) was autistic, I thought they said 'artistic,'" his mother Mary Ellen said. "I had to look it up in the dictionary. It just said, 'daydreaming.'"

Tim's Team was the largest team at Sunday's walk, bringing 75 of the event's roughly 1,500 walkers, Little Friends Director of Marketing and Public Relations Carolyn Hamilton said.

Despite a steamy downpour early on, the event was estimated to have raised about $125,000 for Little Friends Inc. and Little Friends Center for Autism's many programs and services in the region, President Jack Ryan said.

The money is all the more important with the severe depletion of government funding, Ryan added.

Among those showing support were Tim Feldman's five older siblings and 33 nephews and nieces. All wore blue T-shirts bearing one of his favorite phrases, "It's me, Timmy!"

"He's taught all of us to have compassion for people with special needs," Tim's sister Mary Carole Prasse said. "People like my parents and Tim are an inspiration to families just finding out (about an autism diagnosis) and unsure of what's to come."

Tim's greatest struggle has been with communication, but he functions well in other activities and loves attending Chicago sporting events. He works three days a week in the office of Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church in Aurora.

"I can't imagine not having Tim around," his mother said. "Even when he just goes to the store with his dad, I find myself looking for him. He's my buddy!"

Tim's father said he's grateful for the growing awareness of autism, but takes seriously the challenge of finding a way to reduce the number of new cases.

"They keep saying the cure is right around the corner," Joe Feldman said. "So let's turn that corner! Events like this can help us do that."