SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Utah Jazz favorite Joe Ingles surprised a young fan with autism by mailing him a birthday gift.
A photo of the young fan holding up an autographed Jazz shirt was posted to Twitter.
“So this cute boy with autism is a HUGE Jazz fan, probably the biggest fan in Colorado,” began the Tweet.
The tweet went on to thank Ingles for making his birthday special.
“It’s his birthday and thanks to Joe He got a great gift. He was super excited thanks for making his day!” finished the Tweet.
Ingles has a special place in his heart for children with autism. His son Jacob was diagnosed back in February.
After he shared the diagnosis with the Jazz community, he and his wife, Renae, began work with autism charities. They even hosted an Autism Awareness night during a game at Vivint SmartHome Arena.
When Meltdown Ends Polar Express Ride for Teen with Autism, Conductor Hand-delivers Christmas Spirit
WILLIAMS, Ariz. — Ty Swartout loves trains. In particular, he loves the Polar Express train. The iconic book and movie about the Christmas locomotive is one of his favorites.
“He thinks it’s so funny,” Ty’s dad Lloyd told KPNX.
Even though Ty, who has autism, is nonverbal, he still understands the movie, Lloyd said. One of his favorite characters is the conductor.
So when his parents took Ty to see a real-life Polar Express train, he was thrilled. The Swartouts planned an overnight trip to the Grand Canyon Railway, a historic railroad that runs sightseeing rides from Williams, Arizona to the rim of the Grand Canyon.
The family had dinner at the railway and arrived at the platform to wait for the train. Then, things started to go downhill.
Ty was so excited when he saw the train that he became overstimulated and started having a rare “meltdown,” Lloyd recalled.
Because of differences in the brain, people like Ty who have autism can be more prone to temper tantrums and may react unusually to sights, sounds and other senses, according to the Center for Disease Control.
But it was clear to Lloyd and his wife Angie that they would not be able to get Ty on the train.
“My heart was shattered. I wanted this so badly for my son,” Angie wrote on Facebook.
The man, who asked to be identified only as the conductor, came to the family’s room with a special gift for Ty: his pocket watch.
“Ty was starstruck. He was so excited and happy,” Angie wrote on Facebook.
The conductor even returned a second time with a North Pole bell for Ty and to offer the family a full refund for the trip.