This guest post is by Reagan Dempsey, an autistic senior at Wando High School who plans to study animation at Trident Community College. Reagan is applying for the Spring 2026 Making a Difference Autism Scholarship through KFM Making a Difference, the nonprofit founded by Kerry Magro. Kerry was nonspeaking until age 2.5 and was diagnosed with autism at 4.
Autistics on Autism: The Next Chapter shares stories from more than 100 autistic adults about what helped them while growing up and pursuing their dreams. All proceeds support KFM Making a Difference initiatives, including this scholarship program. To invite Kerry to speak at your school, company, or organization, submit an inquiry here.
I was diagnosed with autism at age seven, and I was mostly a quiet child in my family. Growing up autistic was not always easy. When I was younger, I wanted to stay home with my mom because I did not like school, but now I know that school gives me a place to show what I have—my creativity.
Back in 2016, when I was eight, I was strongly against school because I found many of the classes boring. I would spend entire class periods drawing on my homework unless it was one of the “find the objects in this image” worksheets. I was also into drawing some edgy things as a kid and was not afraid to do so. I was even interested in things my parents did not want me watching or playing, such as Five Nights at Freddy’s.
During my middle school years, I was prone to becoming angry at the slightest things, such as a false rumor or an animal noise someone made in front of me. I had a bad track record of getting into trouble for becoming angry at someone, even for asking me whether I played a certain game. Despite that track record, I began making progress on my schoolwork. Even when I did not want to work during class, I was improving compared with when I would just doodle and not pay attention.
There was a time when I had to sit in the back of the bus on the way home from school. I was surrounded by other girls who were interested in the music I was listening to and wanted to hear it. Before that, however, they started asking inappropriate questions about what I knew about boys. They also poked the back of my head with a pencil and claimed that lice were biting me, even though I knew that was not true. I was so upset that I could not sleep. I talked to my mom and reported the incident to the school principal because it made me feel uncomfortable and angry. Afterward, I always sat in the front of the bus when leaving school, or I went home with my mom if I felt I needed to.
When I started high school, I began focusing more on completing my schoolwork and earning good grades instead of doing nothing all day. My original freshman-year schedule included an honors U.S. history class. My mother did not like the idea of my entering an honors class so soon, so I switched to a class where I could work at my own pace and get help when I needed it. That class helped me a lot because I would sometimes forget assignments and turn them in late. I remained in that class through the end of my senior year.
My life felt normal until my sophomore year, when I was taken to the hospital unconscious. After several tests, the doctor found that my body was in ketoacidosis and that my blood sugar was over 400. That was when I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. I also had a cyst on the left side of my neck that made it painful to open my jaw fully. The cyst did not get smaller, so I had surgery to remove it. I spent Valentine’s Day in the hospital and was discharged just one day before my birthday.
I had to stay home for a while, which left me with a lot of missing schoolwork. I had to complete makeup work while worrying about my blood sugar becoming too high or too low, which stressed me out. My dad was there to help me through those hard times, even getting me an insulin pump as soon as possible to make my life easier.
Looking back at my life, it seems strange now that I am older and different from my much younger self, but that does not change who I am today. With time and experience, I have grown in ways I never expected. I have a job at Publix that I enjoy. I have faced challenges that tested my strength and patience, but those challenges also showed me how resilient I can be. I am glad to have a family who loves me and takes care of me when I am at my lowest point. Even though I have faced many challenges, that does not mean I will go down easily. I may bend, but I will not break.
By Reagan Dempsey
Kerry Magro, a professional speaker and best-selling author who is also autistic, founded KFM Making a Difference in 2011 to help autistic students receive scholarship support for post-secondary education. Help us continue this work by making a tax-deductible donation here.
You can also invite Kerry to speak at your next event by submitting an inquiry here. Kerry speaks with schools, businesses, government agencies, colleges, nonprofits, parent groups, and conferences on autism, employment, college success, mental health, inclusion, and bullying prevention.
