By Andy Furman
Point/Arc
Maybe it was divine intervention.
Perhaps it was fate.
Nevertheless, Martin arrived at The Point/Arc totally by accident.
Literally.
“He (Martin) was working at Kroger at the time,” his mother Mira Royster said, “And he was involved in a horrific car accident.”
She said her son almost lost his arm and hand after the crash. “My other son, his brother, arranged for him to fly to France to get his hand and arm attached.”
And when he got hurt, his job ended.
“He was afraid to drive after the accident,” Royster said.
Enter The Point/Arc.
Martin started working in The Point’s Apparel Shop – one of five enterprises owned and operated by the non-profit organization which celebrated 50 years of service in 2022.
And Jan Gilliam, the General Manager at the Latonia-based Apparel Shop suggested Martin try working at The Point’s Executive offices, according to Royster.
“Jan said there are more people in the main office, and there might be more flexibility,” mom remembered.
It worked – and Martin — now 39 – is working on year three at The Point/Arc. He takes care of the property, cleans and makes sure the office is up and running – during his three-day-a-week assignment.
And did we mention Martin lives with Asperger’s – similar to Autism – according to his mom.
And April is Autism Month – so what exactly is Autism?
And what’s the difference between Autism and Asperger’s?
Autism is a spectrum condition and affects people in different ways, according to the website, Autism Spreads. Like all people, autistic people have their own strengths and weaknesses.
Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication. According to the Centers of Disease Control, autism affects an estimated one in 44 children in the United States today.
Signs of autism usually appear by the age of two or three. Some associated development delays can appear even earlier, and often, it can be diagnosed as early as 18 months. Research shows that early intervention leads to positive outcomes later in life for people with autism.
The principal difference between Autism and what was once diagnosed as Asperger’s is that the latter features milder symptoms and an absence of language delays. Most children who were previously diagnosed with Asperger’s have good language skills but may have difficult “fitting in” with their peers.
Mira Royster says she discovered Autistic-type behavior with Martin at the age of two.
Not to worry — he graduated Scott High School (2002) and received a degree in Integrated Studies at Northern Kentucky University (2007).
“He graduated Magna Cum Laude,” says his proud mom, “In Liberal Arts.”
And Martin never shied away from work, Royster says.
“His first job was at the Drawbridge Inn in Ft. Mitchell when he was 16,” she said, “Then he worked at the Danbury Theater near Turfway Park.”
Sports were a big part of his life, too.
He plays softball these days, but back in 2000 Martin traveled to China and South Africa – to run.
“He was a member of a high school relay team and ran in China,” his mom said.
Shy? Not Martin.
In fact, he enrolled in Toastmasters for two years and learned the art of public speaking, said his mom.
“They (Toastmasters) would give you a topic,” she said, “And you would have to give a two-minute impromptu speech on that subject.”
Martin has no problem speaking – or relating to the staff at The Point.
“I love doing my job here at The Point,” he said, “And I plan on being here a long time.”
He’s been living on his own for the past 11 years.
“And he takes care of the property where he lives,” Royster said. “He’ll cut grass and remove trash.”
As for The Point/Arc, Martin says he’ll usually walk to work or sometimes take the bus.
He may be on his own for 11 years – but Martin found a home at The Point/Arc.
The Point/Arc was founded in 1972 by a group of parents fighting for the educational rights of their children, who were diagnosed with an intellectual and developmental (I/DD) disability. The mission – to help people with disabilities achieve their highest potential educationally, socially, residentially and vocationally. More than this, The Point/Arc has been a non-profit organization that identifies gaps in services and provides care and support to fill these gaps – even when government funding sources are not available.