This guest post is by Matthew Luisi, a young man who attends Montclair State University. He is an advocate for the Spring 2025 Making a Difference Autism Scholarship via the nonprofit KFM Making a Difference started by me, Kerry Magro. I was nonverbal till 2.5 and diagnosed with autism at 4 and you can read more about my organization here.
Autistics on Autism the Next Chapter: Stories You Need to Hear About What Helped Them While Growing Up and Pursuing Their Dreams was released on Amazon on 3/25/25 and looks at the lives over 75 Autistic adults. 100% of the proceeds from this book will go back to supporting our nonprofits many initiatives, like this scholarship program. Check out the book here.
The many obstacles of my life have helped me learn to accept and adapt to things outside of my control. Throughout my life, I have encountered many challenges due to different circumstances I’ve spent most of my life living with. I’ve experienced life with these impairments, providing me with confrontation, but never convincing me to stop myself from achievement.
At the age of thirteen months old, I was diagnosed with Autism, a condition that presented unique challenges. I was required to participate in occupational, physical, feeding, speech, and applied behavioral therapies. When I was of age to attend school, I had to attend a different school than my brother and sister, where my behavior was more acceptable. My different ways of communicating made it difficult for me to socialize and build relationships with other children. My childhood experience was far different and occasionally felt overwhelming. I wanted to be in school with my siblings and the children in my town. Even though I didn’t like being distant from my peers and my family, I realized that I couldn’t control it and that it was necessary for me.
In addition to my diagnosis with Autism, since birth I grappled with chronic health difficulties. When I was 16 months old, I was diagnosed with Eosinophilic Esophagitis. I wasn’t developing or reaching my developmental milestones as I should have been. I still remember the burning sensation of my nasal gastronomy tube. At 21 months, my nasal gastric tube was changed to gastric intestinal tube. I could not have food by mouth and was not able to eat dinner with my family. When I went to participate in lunches and parties with my peers, I had to bring my own meal and at times felt rather isolated. Taking part in sports was an additional struggle because I could not maintain stamina due to my lack of nutrients, and was often either benched or discarded entirely. I was required to miss many days of school every once in a while due to required endoscopies for my condition. I was constantly being pulled out of recess and sent to the school nurse where I was fed through my gastronomy tube. Over time, I began to understand that my gastric tube was not a bane, but rather a blessing allowing me to thrive and grow. I gained a better perspective on it the more I understood about it, and I now perceive it as a part of me.
As of last year, I was made aware that I suffered from hearing loss in my left ear without a specific reason. Once I first received the news that I would need a hearing aid, I felt rather skeptical. Knowing that I needed it at all, I began to suspect that there was something wrong with me. Once I actually received the hearing aid, my perception quickly changed as I realized how much better I hear with it. Similarly, in November of last year, I was told I would need glasses. To me, it did not feel like another burden I would have to carry, stemming from all my past experiences. I now have a better interpretation on what is truly considered burdens or illnesses.
More recently, I went through the difficult and overwhelming process of choosing what college I would attend after graduating High School. I was very interestied in Montclair State University, butiven the many confrontations I was faced with in my childhood, I was worried the work I would be reciving from a Universtity would be too much for me to properly handle. I was heavily considering attending a communitiy college near my area, but I was amazed by the technology and oppurtunities that Montclair State had to offer. Despite my enthusiasm for the University, in the back of my head was always the fear that I wouldn’t be able take the work that would be thrown at me. After some time of thinking the decision over, remembering how much I have overcome despite the challenges dealt to me, I decided to aim for Montclair, and I ended up getting accepted.
The many challenges I have been faced with throughout my life thus far has given me a variety of views on situations out of my control, whether good or bad. Rather than simply letting these obstacles and setbacks weigh me down and make me think I am incapable of achievement, I chose to adapt to these aspects of my life, change the way I see these aspects more positively, and persevere through them. My truest strength lies in my ability on how to respond to the obstacles in life.
Kerry Magro, a professional speaker and best-selling author who is also on the autism spectrum started the nonprofit KFM Making a Difference in 2011 to help students with autism receive scholarship aid to pursue a post-secondary education. Help us continue to help students with autism go to college by making a tax-deductible donation to our nonprofit here.
Also, consider having Kerry, one of the only professionally accredited speakers on the spectrum in the country, speak at your next event by sending him an inquiry here. If you have a referral for someone who many want him to speak please reach out as well! Kerry speaks with schools, businesses, government agencies, colleges, nonprofit organizations, parent groups and other special events on topics ranging from employment, how to succeed in college with a learning disability, internal communication, living with autism, bullying prevention, social media best practices, innovation, presentation best practices and much more!
