11 Amazing Autistic Famous People
Author: Rachel Evans

Many think that a diagnosis of autism means a child is doomed
to a lonely life devoid of any accomplishments. History has
proven this theory to be false, and many people with the
higher-functioning forms of autism have gone on to do great
things. There are some autistic famous people who though may
have struggled initially can be an inspiration to children with
autism, or their parents.

Autism does not have to be a dark and lonely existence. Some
autistic children are very bright, and they have a personality
to match. No one with a disability should be underestimated, and
this goes for those with autism as much as for anyone with any
other condition.

Though it has not been proven, some speculate that Albert
Einstein may have had a high functioning form of autism. Because
he is no longer alive, there is no way he can be diagnosed.
However, these theories are popular, and they are attributed to
some behaviors that he demonstrated, and that he was, in his own
words, very much a loner and did not feel particularly connected
to anyone, even his immediate family members. He was brilliant
with math, but by some accounts, did not begin to speak until
the age of two or three. He would often become so involved in
his work that he would forget to eat meals and if a lecture he
was giving drew no observers, he would lecture anyway. Again,
this is just a theory, but it would appear that this assumption
could be valid.

Jason McElwain is probably one of the more recent and most
inspirational story of a person with autism. He was the manager
for his school basketball team at a high school in the suburbs
of Rochester, NY, and practiced shooting hoops for hours on end
all by himself. Though he was not technically a member of the
team due to height and skill level, he loved the game so much he
stayed with them. He was allowed to play in the last four
minutes of the last game of the season, and scored an
astonishing 20 points during that time, some of them from three
point range. Most players can't score that high throughout an
entire game! He has become an inspiration to many with autism or
those with autistic children.

Actress Daryl Hannah was said to have been diagnosed as
`borderline autistic' at the age of three, but has gone on to
have a successful career as an actress. She is probably best
known for her role in the movies Splash and the Kill Bill
series.

Andy Kaufman (died 1984) was well-known for having a very
strange and outlandish sense of humor. He is another actor
thought to have had autism.

Two very well known artists, Vincent van Gogh and Andy Warhol
may have had autism. They exhibited many traits of those with
higher functioning types of this condition, and were seen as
`eccentric' and brilliant. Autism is thought to be the root
cause for their bright and unusual personalities and life
choices. Though Courtney Love is not perhaps the best example of
what someone with autism can do, it is noticed that she was
diagnosed at age three as `mildly autistic.' She has had her ups
and down, but her band Hole did enjoy some success.

Perhaps some of the most well-known people to have this
condition were born before an actual diagnosis could be made.
That means that these autistic famous people have a diagnosis
that is based on speculation and things that they were known for
when they were alive. Many of these people are important for
both historical reasons, and for bettering the world in a number
of ways. Examples are Sir Isaac Newton (mathematician), Wolfgang
Mozart (composer/musician), Charles Darwin
(naturalist/scientist), and Michelangelo
(painter/sculptor/architect/poet).


About The Author: Grab your free copy of Rachel Evans' brand
new Autism Newsletter here
http://www.essential-guide-to-autism.com/?source=is which is
overflowing with easy to implement methods to help you and your
family find how to manage autism.