Merry Christmas!

photography (most of it) by Kyle
& his new Fisher Price digital camera

Thank you for supporting us!

2007 Carolinas Walk Now For Autism

Watch for Team Aruba!

I long to hear those three little words from our son Kyle,but without support from friends and family like you, I may never hear it.

Betsy heard Kyle tell her "I Love You" before he regressed and lost his verbal communication. Yes, he signs it to us and shows affection, which a lot of autistic child do not, and we are very lucky in that respect. Yet, we long to hear those words again, and again, and again.


Simple to most, yet for a child with autism, it's one of the most difficult things in the world. They get frustrated and pitch fits because they can not express what they long to tell you.

We ask that you help us reach this goal by supporting us in our efforts to raise money for autism research/Autism Speaks with Team Aruba at the Carolinas Walk Now for Autism at Lowes Motor Speedway on Oct. 6, 2007. You can donate a little of your time and join our team online or donate a little money.

We appreciate your time and efforts in our fight against autism!
And we thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

Sincerely,
Gator

We Will NEVER Forget!

I still remember where I was when I heard about the first plane hitting the WTC........on the Internet on the computer in the hallway outside my office at United Supply in Charlotte, NC on the phone to our vendor's marketing mgr and dear friend (whom Gator was suppose to be set up with the night we met but she's too tall for him) Jen P. discussing something about Conso's product lines or a trade show or something.

Gator was driving a hazmat tanker, delivering to Baltimore, MD. I know I wasn't going through anything like the families in NYC, but when your loved one is near danger and you can't protect them or put your arms around them, you are terrified.

Then there was an immediate lock-down on hazmat truck drivers who were anywhere in the vicinity of possible attack targets.......they were afraid the next thing would be tankers used for attacks.

Gator has always had a very big heart and tries to help everyone.......well his next project would soon prove to be the victims of 9/11. We ended up with semi trailers located in our church parking lot in Rock Hill, another at Conso in Union and his mom getting supplies from people in Thomson, GA! We ended up with an article in the local papers in Rock Hill and Union. Then we had our other driver, Willie (we owned 2 semi trucks), family, friends and a reporter from the local tv station in Rock Hill going with us in the semi and a van to deliver the supplies to NYC.

We left at approx. 11pm on a Friday night and arrived in NYC early the next morning..........Gator and Willie took turns driving. We were told we had clearance to go to Ground Zero, but when we arrived we were re-routed to Long Island........ever been on 32nd Street? Well I had before, but try riding in a semi with a van tailing you to make it through red lights while you are being filmed having a pillow fight while you pass Macy's and try to keep your husband calm as he maneuvers around taxis!!!! Yep, been there, done that, have the video!

When we finally arrived at the warehouse on Long Island, we were taken aback by the response from the military guys there who were to unload our truck when they saw the flag that the preschoolers had made at our church with their hand prints. At the bottom it said "our tiny hands are folded in prayer for you NY". They immediately hung it.........there was nothing like that feeling!

After 9/11 there were lots of memorials, commentaries, tv specials, etc., but the one that affected me most was this 2002 Super Bowl commercial by Budweiser........it says it all.


We keep you in our prayers NYC, and we will never forget!

In the news.........

Publication:Union Daily Times;

Date:Aug 7, 2007;

Section:Front Page;

Page Number:1

Local drag racing team joins couple’s fight against autism

By CHARLES L. WARNER Staff Writer

A card from the father of an autistic child led to Team Aruba joining the fight against autism.

Team Aruba is a professional drag-racing team that located to Union County earlier this year. Crew member Tom Lukans was shown a very special card by local businessman Gator Hudson, designed by Hudson’s wife, Betsy, to inform the public about autism and Fragile X Syndrome (FXS). The Hudsons’ son, Kyle, was diagnosed with autism at the age of 3 1/2 and with FXS at age 4. Kyle’s story is included on the card, which is designed to look like his business card.

Seeing the card moved Lukans to start the process that resulted in Team Aruba becoming a rolling advertisement for “Autism Speaks,” the organization dedicated to finding a cure for the disease. Lukans, along with Team Aruba driver Burt Kelkboom, his son, Shawn and crew chief Andre Loonstra joined with the Hudsons to announce Team Aruba’s plans during an interview on WBCU radio Monday morning.

“The card’s quite overwhelming and my first words were, ‘What can we do to help?’” Lukans said. “‘We have a car, we have a trailer, can we publicize this in any way?’”

Hudson responded by putting Lukans in contact with Lara Collazo, corporate development manager for Autism Speaks. That led to a special “Proud To Be A Supporter Of Autism Speaks” logo being placed on the team’s race car and trailer. The logo was on display last weekend when the team was in Bristol, Tenn., and when it travels to New Hampshire this weekend.

“As we travel down the highway, people can be aware of it,” Lukans said. “From there we discussed a few other things, what our itinerary was for the rest of the year and how close we are to certain areas. We’re going to have the car and rig on display at Charlotte Motor Speedway for Autism Walks Oct. 6.”

The “Carolinas Walk for Now for Autism” is an annual event staged by Autism Speaks to raise awareness of the condition and generate money for research. In 2006, the walk attracted 3,000 participants and raised more than $240,000. The money raised is used to help fund global biomedical research into the causes, prevention, treatment and cure for autism.

The fifth annual walk will be held Oct. 6 and participants will include a team from Union County called Team Aruba/Union, S.C. Tourism. The walk team grew out of Team Aruba’s discussions of carrying the Autism Now logo on its vehicles.

“From there it prompted us to say ‘Why can’t we have a walk team?’ Lukans said. “So Gator and Betsy started putting together a walk team that has over a hundred members walking in it already. That’s fabulous and we just got started.

“We’re going to have the car on display, we’re going to have a walk team that’s a joint venture with Team Aruba and Union County Tourism Commission,” he said. “We’re going to have special T-shirts designed with the car on the back and on the front it’ll have ‘Honorary Crew Member for Team Aruba.’ That’s what our walkers are going to have and that’s what we’re going to have through some of the other special events that we’re going to do throughout the rest of this year with the autism programs.”

The team has also brought together Autism Speaks with an autism foundation in Aruba. This led to contacts between the two organizations which are now working together on a joint venture on the island.

———To learn more about Team Aruba and its activities log on at www.teamarubamotorsports.com.

For more information about the Oct. 6 Carolinas Walk for Now for Autism, log on at www.walknowforautism.org/carolinas.

Fragile X Syndrome a genetic condition that leads to autism

By CHARLES L. WARNER Staff Writer


When Betsy Hudson gave birth to her son, Kyle, she didn’t know she’d passed on a neurological condition that will affect him the rest of his life.

Kyle Hudson, 4, has autism and Fragile X Syndrome (FXS). The latter is a genetic condition which can cause a child to have autism, which impairs a person’s ability to communicate and relate to others. “It is genetic, it was passed down from me; we were not aware of anything in our family,” Mrs. Hudson said. “It came down from my father’s side.”

Mrs. Hudson and her husband, Gator, joined the members of Team Aruba on WBCU radio Monday morning to discuss autism and FXS and local efforts to raise awareness of the conditions. Mrs. Hudson has designed a card that tells about her son being diagnosed with autism and FXS. Her husband showed the card to a member of Team Aruba which led to the team getting involved with “Autism Speaks,” a group that raises awareness of autism and generates funds for medical research. The card also describes the conditions.

Fragile X

The card describes FXS as being able to cause a child to have either autism or Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) “though not all children with fragile X syndrome have autism or an ASD. Fragile X is a family of genetic conditions, which can impact individuals and families in various ways. These genetic conditions are related in that they are all caused by gene changes in the same gene, called the FMR1 gene.”

Like all women, Mrs. Hudson has two X chromosomes while men have an X and a Y chromosome. FXS occurs when the FMR1 gene on an X chromosome does not get enough protein for normal growth and development. She said that since she has two X chromosomes and the genetic abnormality was passed on to her by her father, she was not affected. Since Kyle has only one X chromosome and the condition was passed on to him by her, he developed FXS. (Girls can as develop FXS as well but it is not as common as among boys.)

Autism

The card describes autism as “a complex neurobiological disorder that typically lasts throughout a person’s lifetime. It is part of a group of disorders known as Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD).

“Today, 1 in 150 individuals is diagnosed with autism, making it more common than pediatric cancer, diabetes and AIDS combined. It occurs in all racial, ethnic and social groups and is four times more likely to strike boys than girls.

“Autism impairs a person’s ability to communicate and relate to others. It is also associated with rigid routines and repetitive behaviors, such as obsessively arranging objects or following very specific routines. Symptoms can range from very mild to quite severe.”

Mrs. Hudson said that to look at her son you wouldn’t know he was autistic, until you tried to talk to him. “He is not verbal and he gets very frustrated by that because he cannot communicate with us, but he does kind of do some sign language and we’ve kind of learned some of the things he’s trying to tell us,” she said. “He goes to Spartanburg Regional and has occupational and speech therapy. He gets speech therapy through an early intervention class at Foster Park (Elementary School). He will be back in this class this year and he will get the same thing there.”

Despite his lack of verbal skills, Kyle, like many with autism, is intelligent and creative. “They’re very creative and they’re very smart,” Mrs. Hudson said. “He is not verbal, he cannot communicate really what he’s trying to get across, but you hand him a flashlight and he’ll take it apart and put it back together.”

Mrs. Hudson welcomed the involvement of Team Aruba in promoting autism awareness and in helping raise money for autism research. “People aren’t aware, we want to make them aware,” she said. “We’re trying to make everyone be more considerate of parents and of children with autism, because you get looks. Like ‘Why can’t you control your child!’ and there’s nothing you can do sometimes. We want to raise money because the money going to Autism Speaks is for autism research so that we can hopefully find a cure for autism.”

For more information about autism and FXS, log on at one of these websites:

• betsygatorh@yahoo.com

• www.autismspeaks.org

• www.fragilex.org
• www.autisticourchurchchunkymonkey.blogspot.com.

On the radio......

WBCU 1460AM Radio

RACING TEAM WITH LOCAL TIES TO PROMOTE AUTISM AWARENESS

Tuesday, August 7

A car racing team based out of Union is helping to spread the word about autism by supporting Autism Speaks, a network started to raise awareness about the condition.

Team Aruba, an all-Aruban racing team that travels to the US and back to race in the NMRA Pro Stock category, is based stateside out of Union, and a chance meeting with a local parent of a child with autism led the team to provide support.

The racing team decided to provide assistance after receiving information from Gator and Betsy Hudson, two Union residents whose son, Kyle, suffers from autism and fragile x syndrome. Fragile x is a genetic disorder known to be the most common cause of inherited mental impairment, which can range from learning disabilities to more severe cognitive or intellectual disabilities. The disorder is also the most common known cause of autism.

Tom Lukan, of Team Aruba, said he asked, “What can we do to help?” after Gator Hudson came into the team’s shop with an awareness card his wife had designed. The information on the card was overwhelming, according to Lukon.

The team’s decision led to several phone calls and connection with Autism Speaks, and now the team’s cars and trailer are the first to sport a special logo identifying it as a proud supporter of the organization. Team Aruba is the first to display the special logo on racecars and trailers.

A Team Aruba car will be on display during an autism walk at Charlotte Motor Speedway on October 6, and an autism awareness walk team has been put together, as a joint venture between Team Aruba and the Union County Tourism Commission; Union's walk team is being organized by the Hudsons. More than 100 people have already signed up to be a part of Union's team. Proceeds raised from the walk go toward researching a cure for autism.

For more information on the walk, or autism in general, e-mail Gator and Betsy Hudson at betsygatorh@yahoo.com. The Hudsons also have a website, www.autisticourchunkymonkey.blogspot.com.

TUNE IN!

We will be on our local radio station Monday, August 5th to announce locally that Team Aruba is a proud supporter of Autism Speaks! You can listen to us online (being streamed especially for the island of Aruba and Autism Speaks!) on WBCU AM 1460 in the morning at 9am EST (until 10am) to hear all the details. Hope you all tune it!

What Can We Do?

I know you are wondering where we’ve been lately………..well you won’t believe it! I had started (and just posted last night) a “Christmas in July” post with pictures of Kyle at Christmas and was going to then do one with pictures from his birthday party 12-23-06…..with Kyle in shorts! You would have really thought it was July!

Anyway, I have designed a business card with Kyle’s diagnosis history of Autism and FXS that includes his blog and the websites for Autism Speaks (AS) and National Fragile X Foundation (NFXF). Gator handed one to Tom Lukan with Team Aruba (TA) Motorsports…..drag racing team from the island of Aruba who are making their US home base here in Union. Gator knew that Tom did not have Internet access, but thought he might have a chance one day to look at Kyle’s blog. The next words out of Tom’s mouth were “What can we do to help?”. We never dreamed what would happen next (details to be announced at a later date)!!!!!

Tom asked us to contact Autism Speaks about being a sponsor and having their logo on TA’s drag cars and trailers. I emailed the Carolina division of AS and received a reply back saying their Corporate Development Manager, Lara, would be contacting Gator. Gator then put Lara in touch with Tom. After exchanging info. about TA, Union, and TA’s race schedule, Tom then asked how to make this go national.

Before the day was through, Tom and Lara were discussing Union and how to bring more awareness to the epidemic of Autism (we are waiting to see where this may lead us!!!) That was Thursday! By Saturday afternoon, we had the beginnings of a team to walk and raise money for AS at Lowe’s Motor Speedway on October 6th, 2000+ t-shirts being made to give to participants & more to sell to raise money! By this weekend the "Proud Supporter of Autism Speaks" logo will be on the TA trailer and car.

Tom has since made more phone calls and we have others involved! Tom has also arranged other things........of which we can not yet discuss. Bless Tom’s heart…he just kept asking “what can we do” and “what else can we do”. Needless to say, our lives have been very hectic……..oh we have therapy sessions, work, laundry, groceries, etc. to do in between organizing and raising money for all this!

Hang on gang; we are in for a wild ride!

Christmas in July

We've had a lot going on lately, but much of which we can not yet share with you.



So in the mean time I thought I'd share a few moments from Christmas 2006.


ENJOY!

Happy 4th of July!

As Kyle and I sit on the front porch this evening, swinging, watching daddy leave for Atlanta and the fireworks above, I can't help but feel very thankful for our forefathers and our military!


Thank you to them all!


We send our love and warm wishes for a safe return to all those who are away from home and your loved ones this Independence Day.


Here's to more family, friends, food, fireworks & Freedom!!!

US Congress designates July 22 as National Fragile X Awareness Day

The following is very tragic and am very sorry that this is how the public has to become aware of genetic disorders. I also found this article regarding the Benoit family murders and their dealings with Fragile X on ESPN.I do hope that people will become more aware of how serious Fragile X is on those affected by it!



PRESS RELEASE June 28, 2007

The National Fragile X Foundation shares in the sorrow surrounding the death of wrestler Chris Benoit and his wife and son. Early reports indicate that the son had fragile X syndrome, the world’s leading cause of inherited intellectual disability, and that Mr. Benoit may have been depressed over that fact. While the parents and professionals who make up the National Fragile X Foundation fully understand and appreciate the difficulties associated with raising a child with fragile X syndrome, we urge all citizens to learn more about the condition and about how, with the proper diagnosis and intervention, those boys and girls, men and women, can be active participants and contributing members of their families, schools and communities.

The U.S. Congress has designated July 22 as “National Fragile X Awareness Day.” The National Fragile X Foundation uses this opportunity to help spread awareness about the condition as well as to educate professionals about the best forms of treatment and intervention. This year, on July 20, the National Fragile X Foundation has organized a three-hour, international audio/video webcast featuring many of the nation’s leading fragile X syndrome clinicians. This free event is an excellent opportunity to learn about what can be done to provide the maximum opportunities for children affected by the syndrome.

Throughout the world, scientists, doctors, teachers, therapists and counselors are working hard to provide better forms of treatment and intervention. The National Fragile X Foundation has been organizing those professionals and disseminating information to the worldwide Fragile X community since 1984. Unfortunately, it sometimes takes a tragedy, such as that involving Chris Benoit and his family, to bring attention to so-called “rare” conditions.

To learn more about fragile X syndrome, as well as the upcoming webcast, please visit www.FragileX.org.

The National Fragile X Foundation

__________________
Deborah A. Kwan

Welcome Home......NOT!

After spending all week, in Columbia learning about how to better protect vulnerable adults (ie: bored out my...), staying in an old renovated hotel that used to have pay phones in the bathroom??, and looking forward to coming home to hugs and kisses from our monkey and Gator....all I got was rejection from Kyle (okay Gator did greet me with welcome arms...and an unclean bathroom, but at least he didn't pitch a fit like someone else did).

When I got to mama's to pick him up, Kyle had not had a nap and was ill as a hornet! Make that a whole hornet's nest. I sat in the middle of mama's kitchen floor, waiting and hoping for just a little sign that he was glad to see me..........but nothing except for screams and stomping of the feet.

Now with FXS and autism you have to be very patient.......something I have never been....and allow them to come to you. You can not force them to do anything, because it will most definitely backfire on you. So, while my heart was breaking and mama was trying to reassure me that it was because he had not had a nap and probably this was his way of expressing his being upset with me for not being there all week, I just sat there telling him I loved and missed him and let him continue his tantrum.


Today, Gator suggested that we go to Spartanburg for dinner and a movie because he had to go by the office and Verizon anyway. We decided on Red Lobster, where Kyle ate every shrimp on his plate and part of his applesauce (rare moment for him to eat a good meal), and Disney's new movie Ratatouille.

When we got to the theater, we had to hurry Kyle past the concession stands and into the restrooms before he could pitch a fit for popcorn...which is one of his most favorite foods! Of course, Gator later went back and rewarded his good behavior with a bag of the buttery goodness, which he hoarded and ate almost every kernel.


Anyway, the movie is about rat that can cook. Now this sounds very unappetizing, but of course its Disney and they always have a way of seeing the "humorous" side of the story. Kyle loves to cook and tries every chance he gets to "help" us in the kitchen. He loves to watch Paula Deen, too.....so maybe we have another "Emeril" on our hands. He may not be verbal, but he will try anything and learns very fast..........including the bad habits!


P.S. Later on last night, Kyle climbed up in my lap on the couch and hugged my tight and kissed me. Gator said that when he put his head on my shoulder he was grinning from ear to ear....so thanks for a great welcoming home........better late than never.

Missing You!

As I sit here in Columbia (at my week-long training session), I am deeply missing our monkey. Since he's not verbal, our phone conversations usually end up with some garbled words, kissing sounds, and "bye" followed by the inevitable hang up that is soon to follow.....and the whole call lasts approximately 45 seconds!





Although, I am thoroughly enjoying "a break" from the everyday routine of chasing our monkey, cleaning up the house, cooking, reminding Gator about something, and of course work, I still miss it.


All it takes is one hug or laugh from Kyle to forget my troubles....even if it is only for a second!



Good night, sweet dreams, and mommy will see you soon! I love you!





P.S. I miss you too, Gator!

Forget Toys, I've found better things to PLAY with!

Ever wonder why we bother buying our children, even special needs children, any and everything to assist with their growth, development, and overall play skills?



Oh my gosh, I'm hearing my dad in my head again saying "I told you so" and "you shouldn't be wasting your money on that"!

Somehow you just don't want them to miss any opportunity to learn something new...or have the hippest toy.






All the while hoping that you know more than your parents do because this is YOUR child and YOU know them better than THEY do...right?




How is that with all the new technology and innovation in today's modern world........



from one generation to the next..........






a cardboard box or laundry basket is the best imaginative toy to date that has the power to capture a child's creative side more than a Leap Frog toy ever could?




(with the exception of our child who must also have a side of Disney or a DVD to watch at all times!)

Happy Father's Day!

As I look back on the last 4 1/2 years, I am still in awe of the wonderful husband and father to Kyle I found in this big, crazy world.

He constantly amazes me at the attention and love he provides for Kyle amongst all the everyday chaos....sorry I don't tell you enough!!!!

He didn't even mind that I couldn't find his Father's Day card today and just said he would get it whenever I found it...which I did this evening and he'll get when he returns tomorrow from his run to Kitty Hawk, NC with another load of telephone polls.

Gator is versatile, yet nerve wrenching at the same time....if he would only finish the projects he starts!

And all the while, he always has his heart in the right place even though I tend to always disagree with the route he takes.

I know all too well how much he misses his own father, Junebug, today, who died two weeks prior to Kyle's birth, of Leukemia.

I know Junebug is proud of how good a father Gator has turned out to be and watches down with love, as do Gator's grandfathers and mine.

So on this Father's Day, we send love to those who are with us and to those who are not.

All the same, you are with us in spirit and surround us with love, and we thank you for all the things you helped us through.