Dying Autistic Girl Hands Woman Rock & Asks To See How Far It'll Go Around World
People with disabilities are often misunderstood, especially when it comes to those who are on the spectrum of autism.
Autism is displayed in a wide range of forms. Every autistic person and child is unique and different in their own way.
In more recent years many have tried to spread awareness about this unique disability — or ability, depending on how you look at it.
In 2016, a young woman named Imani Chapin implemented her Autism “Rocks” idea with the hope of “spreading Autism Acceptance locally, regionally, nationally and worldwide.”
Autism “Rocks” started out small, as a group created by Chapin during her sophomore year at Union High School in Camas, Washington.
It’s been two years since its humble beginning, but now rock painting groups and events are popping up all over the place.
“I immediately fell in love with the idea and the process in which people paint rocks and hide them in their community, all the while searching for other artists’ rocks,” Chapin said.
“When I find a painted rock,” she shared, “I’m not looking for perfection. I’m just happy to see people are enjoying art, just like me.”
And she probably has no idea just how far her idea has reached. In February, a Facebook post by West Virginia woman Tiffany Ball-musser featured a photo of a rock covered in red paint and rainbow glitter.
Tiffany shared how the rock came into her possession. She explained how a little girl at a gas station had given it to her.
“So as I am pumping gas she walks up to me and hands me this little rock,” Tiffany wrote. “[She asked] me to take a picture of it and see how far her rock can make it around the world.”
According to the post, the girl’s father shared with Tiffany that his daughter had autism and was only given 5 years to live because of problems with her heart.
It’s never mentioned if the girl got her rock painting idea from Chapin’s Autism “Rocks” campaign or not.
But is it any coincidence the girl at the gas station wanted her rock to be seen around the world, just as Chapin wants Autism Acceptance to be something that occurs everywhere?
The dots sure seem to connect. Either way, it’s sweet that this anonymous little girl wanted her painted rock shared with so many.
Since Tiffany shared the photo it’s been shared close to 2 million times. Looks like the young artist got her wish.
And whether this was part of Chapin’s Autism “Rocks” project or not, the painted rock is still spreading the awareness the teenager hoped for.
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