This guest post is by Charlotte Stafford, an autistic student from New York who plans to attend Curry College in Boston and hopes to pursue a field where she can help others. Charlotte is an animal-care worker, mentor, church usher, speaker, and aspiring author. She 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.
Hi, I’m Charlotte. I’m 18, and I was diagnosed with autism at 17.
I was adopted the day I was born, as my birth mom was not able to take care of another child. When I was nine, I met my birth mom and my siblings. I found out that education was really important to her, since she was not able to finish high school while caring for her own mother. My birth father was out of the picture, and when I finally learned the reason, it was difficult to process. Out of their three children, I was the lucky one to be adopted by a mom who could help me accomplish my goals and be there to help me.
By the time I was 14, I was struggling to make friends and keep up with schoolwork. I had not been diagnosed with autism yet. I experienced a serious health crisis and needed emergency care, followed by a long period of intensive support away from home. This was the hardest point in my life. Being separated from my family and working through so much uncertainty was difficult, and there were times when I thought I might never get home.
Slowly, I started to feel better with all the support I had around me. During that time, I learned that I was neurodivergent. That helped me realize that things were going to be okay. The people supporting me pushed me to get better, and I set a goal for myself. I was able to meet that goal and move forward into a more supportive environment.
In April 2023, I earned a spot at a residential school that has helped me in many ways. I was diagnosed with autism while at school. We have a farm there, and working with animals has taught me a lot about being patient and strengthened my ability to connect with people. I’ve been able to learn new coping skills, and I now inspire others by showing them that they can get through hard times too. I mentor younger students and am an ambassador for the school. I was also asked to be the guest speaker for a fundraising gala, telling my story in front of 200 people.
I may have missed some schooling for health reasons, but now I am ready to prove that I can do anything I put my mind to and make myself and my family proud.
I feel that I have had two second chances at life. First, being adopted gave me the opportunity for an education that my birth family didn’t have. Second, recovering from the crisis I experienced taught me how much the people around me loved me and that my life was worth living. Now I am writing a book with my mom about my journey and everything we have been through together.
With all I have overcome, I know for sure that even on the darkest nights, you can always find the light. I want to continue to grow as a person and become someone who can mentor and inspire others. Going to college will fulfill my birth mother’s dream and the promise that my mom made to her when I was adopted.
By Charlotte Stafford
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.
