Featured Memorial

Xavion Young

Xavion Young   (2011-2019) Xavion Young was seven years old and had autism. Born on April 2, 2011, Xavion Young died on January 7, 2019, af...

Friday, December 26, 2014

Bryan McKinney

Bryan McKinney, 27 Years

Bryan McKinney was 27 years old and had autism. He was from Wenatchee, Washington. Bryan went missing from the Tillicum Beach RV Park in Oregon on December 17, 2014.  His body was discovered on a beach near Florence, Washington on December 26, 2014.

Links about Bryan McKinney: 
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Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Jayden Morrison

Jayden Morrison (2010-2014)

Jayden Morrison was 4 years old and had autism. Jayden was from White Plains, New York.  Jayden Morrison had been visiting family in Little River, South Carolina for the holiday and he wandered away on Christmas Eve. After 3 days of searching his body was found drowned in a nearby pond on December 26, 2014.  His parents are Andre and Tabatha Morrison.

Tribute:
"I know he's in a better place. Life is better for him. He's probably talking it up now and loving that he can talk (Andre Morrison, Jayden's Father)."
Links about Jayden Morrison: 

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Monday, November 24, 2014

Brandon Cramer

Brandon Cramer (1973-2014)

Brandon Lloyd Cramer was 41 years old and had autism. Brandon was born on March 11, 1973 in Los Angeles and lived in Santa Monica, California. He lived independently for 17 years. Brandon died in his sleep of unknown causes on November 24, 2014. Brandon's mother is Amalia Starr.

The following is a video of the Memorial Service for Brandon called Remembering Brandon.



Tribute to Brandon Cramer: "He tried so hard in many ways to help people and befriended so many people. He helped out and pitched in any way he could (Jerry Rubin, Close Friend of Brandon's)."


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Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Dyasha Phelps Smith

Dyasha Phelps Smith, 21 Years

Dyasha Phelps Smith was 21 years old and had autism. Dyasha lived in Brooklyn, New York and choked on a muffin on October 28, 2014, while eating her lunch in her special education classroom at the School for International Studies on Baltic St. in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn. Her mother is Catherine Smith.

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Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Jahmaine Reihana

Jahmaine Terry Reihana, 5 Years

Jahmaine Reihana was five years old and had autism. Jahmaine lived in Foxton in New Zealand. On September 24, 2014, Jahmaine wandered away from supervision and climbed into a water tank on his family's property. He removed the manhole cover and then fell in and drowned. Because of this accident parents are being warned about checking the maintenance of water tanks to see if they have older covers that children could remove.

Links about Jahmaine Reihana: 
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Sunday, August 31, 2014

Charlie Laake Birely

Charlie Laake Birely (2003-2014)

Charlie Laake Birely was 11 years old and had autism. Charlie was from Stuart, Florida. Charlie Birely died on Sunday, August 31, 2014, when the houseboat where his family lived caught fire on the St. Lucie River and was engulfed quickly in flames. Other members of the family were hospitalized for smoke inhalation, but Charlie died in the tragedy. His parents are Brian Birely and Karen Laake-Birely.

Donations can be made to support Charlie's family in their loss of their child and home at the website flycharliefly.com or through a GoFundMe Campaign.

Tribute: 
"I'm hoping that we are all going to be happy and celebrating Charlie, and none of us will be upset. He was always happy, like, always smiling. You couldn't get him to frown ever (Nicholas Torres, Peer Mentor to Charlie)."

Links about Charlie Birely: 

          Obituary:  Obituary for Charlie Birely
News:

Thursday, August 21, 2014

Marshall Fine

Marshall Fine (1956-2014)

Marshall Fine was 57 years old and had autism. He was from Memphis, Tennessee. On August 7, 2014, Marshall Fine was critically injured in an automobile accident near Horse Cave, Kentucky. He passed away from his injuries on August 21, 2014. Marshall Fine had been a successful composer and the assistant principal viola in the Memphis Symphony.

Tribute to Marshall Fine: "What made him memorable was the depth and breadth of his knowledge of music, and his intense personal desire from his childhood to succeed (Burton Fine, Marshall's Father).

Links about Marshall Fine: 
Obituary:
Blog: 

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Tony Eugene McCoy Cory Ferguson

Tony Eugene McCoy Cory Ferguson (2008-2014)

Tony Eugene "Gene" Cory Ferguson was 5 years old and had autism.  He lived in Cass County, Missouri. He wandered away from his home on July 8, 2014, when the door at his home was left open by a crew repairing the air conditioning at his house. He was found dead in a pond near his home later that afternoon. Gene was born on September 11, 2008, and had been raised by his grandparents who adopted him in 2013. Gene aspired to be a firefighter.  He is survived by his father Tony Marvin Cory and his adopted parents, Tim and Margie Ferguson.

Tribute to Tony Eugene McCoy Cory Ferguson: 

  • "He was just a perfect little boy, sorry (Margie Ferguson, Tony's Grandmother).
  • "Gene was a great little boy from day one. He loved to play with cars, power wheels, his go cart and his pony, Candy. His dog, Walmart, went everywhere outside with him. Gene liked Sunday school, daycare and his preschool. He made friends everywhere. Gene had friends at Wal-Mart, Price Chopper and other places. He was always saying to his papa, I like to play. Gene liked game shows on TV and his dad had just got him a gameboy. The world was a better place for the time Gene was with us (Obituary in the Cass County Democrat Missourian).


Links about Tony Eugene McCoy Cory Ferguson: 

Obituary: Obituary in the Cass County Democrat Missourian
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Monday, June 23, 2014

Harry Procko

Harry Procko (2010-2014)

Harry Procko was 4 years old and had autism. He is from Nottingham, England in the United Kingdom. Harry died on June 23, 2014, from dehydration, two days after being released from the Nottingham Children's Hospital. He had been admitted for a stomach bug. He also had been diagnosed earlier with a hole in his heart. Richard Clements and Marika Procko are his parents.

Links about Harry Procko: 

Tribute Website: Harry Procko's Life Story at Forever Missed
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Thursday, June 5, 2014

Tristan Demumbran

Tristan Demumbran, 6 Years

Tristan Demumbran was 6 years old and had autism.  He lived in Hickman County, Tennessee. On June 5, 2014, Tristan's mother, Gidgett Denumbran was driving the family vehicle through high waters and the floodwaters forced her and five passengers to get out of the car. His mother grabbed Tristan by the hand in the high water but she was knocked unconscious by a branch and lost her grip on the boy. Gidgett Denumbran and the other passengers in the vehicle made it to safety. Tristan's body was found by search members in a drain pipe near the Beaverdam Creek on June 7, 2014.

Tribute to Tristan Demumbran: "He's an amazing little boy. He smiles all the time. He is always happy (Gidgett Demumbran, Mother)."


Links about Tristan Demumbran: 
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Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Erick Ortiz

Erick Ortiz, 16 Years

Erick Ortiz was 16 years old and had autism. Erick was from Los Angeles, California and attended Garfield High School in East Los Angeles. Erick Ortiz was left unattended on a class field trip at an aquatic center and park in East Los Angeles and he wandered into the swimming pool and drowned on June 4, 2014.

Links about Erick Ortiz: 
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Monday, June 2, 2014

Jeffrey Perez

Jeffrey Perez, 16 Years

Jeffrey Perez was 16 years old and had autism. Jeffrey was from San Antonio, Texas. His family reported to authorities that Jeffrey had wandered away from his home during the night on June 1, 2014. On the morning of June 2, 2014, Jeffrey Perez was walking in the center lane of Interstate Highway 410 in San Antonio during rush hour traffic and he was struck by multiple vehicles and died. Jeffrey was in eighth grade at Scobee Middle School.

Links about Jeffrey Perez: 
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Saturday, May 31, 2014

Beyonce Riddick

Beyonce Riddick, 12 Years

Beyonce Riddick was 12 years old and had autism. She wandered away from her home in Orlando, Florida around 5:30pm on May 30, 2014. In the morning of May 31, 2014, Beyonce Riddick was discovered drowned in a pond near her home.

Links about Beyonce Riddick: 
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Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Raul Espinosa

Raul Espinosa, 6 Years

Raul Espinosa was 6 years old and had severe autism. He lived in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. On May 21, 2014, Raul Espinosa wandered away from his caretakers and was hit by a school bus. He died from his injuries.

Tribute: 
"He was very sociable with people. A lot of people loved him. What else can I say? (Raul's mother Aurora Mejia as quoted in 620 WTMJ.)"

Links about Raul Espinosa: 
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Thursday, April 3, 2014

Robert Robinson

Robert Robinson, 16 Years

Robert Robinson was 16 years old and had autism. Robert lived in Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Canada. On April 3, 2014, Robert Robinson was discovered dead in his home, having been poisoned by his mother Angie Robinson. His mother subsequently also killed herself, leaving behind a suicide note saying she could no longer cope with the care needed for her son.

Links about Robert Robinson: 

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Friday, March 21, 2014

Travis Stratton

Travis Stratton, 4 Years

Travis Stratton was 4 years old and had autism. On March 21, 2014, Travis was being watched by his grandparents and he wandered away from his Castaic, California (Los Angeles County) home. Travis was found unconscious in a neighbor's pool. He was pronounced dead at the hospital later that day. Travis is the son of Tim and Cathy Stratton.

Links about Travis Stratton: 
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Memorial Page: 

Thursday, March 13, 2014

Callum Dale

Callum Dale, 13 Years

Callum Dale was 13 years old and had Aspergers Syndrome. On March 13, 2014, he had an episode and ran out of his home near Buncrana, Co Donegal in Ireland and went and sat down in the left hand lane of a busy road. He was hit by an oncoming car and pronounced dead that evening.  Callum Dale's father Peter was seriously injured trying to remove his son off the road but survived. His parents are Peter and Deidre Dale.

Tribute: "Callum was a very special person. He was a very bright and intelligent young man with a great inquiring mind (Fr. John Walsh as Quoted in the Independent.i.e. Irish News)."

Links about Callum Dale: 
Obituary:  Death Notice for Callum Dale
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Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Curtis Metzger

Curtis Metzger, 27 Years

Curtis Metzger was 27 years old and had autism. He lived in Huntsville, Alabama. He had been working for six years at the Target Store on University Drive in Huntsville, Alabama. Curtis Metzger died from a heart attack on March 5, 2014 during his routine workout at the gym. His parents are Jim and Laura Metzger.

Tributes to Curtis Metzger: 
  • "All these years, I thought we did a good job of teaching and developing him. But the truth be told, it was the other way round. He made this a better store (Kristi Cox, Target)."
  • "If there is anything I could do as a tribute to Curtis, its to make sure people understand that just because a person has autism doesn't mean they can't do things. Just because they learn differently doesn't mean they can't learn at all (Laura Metzger, Curtis' Mother)."
Links about Curtis Metzger: 
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Monday, February 17, 2014

Na'eem Demby

Na'eem Demby, 14 Years

Na'eem Demby was 14 years old and had autism. He lived in the Logan neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Na'eem Demby was trapped in his home during a fire on February 17, 2014. Firefighters rescued him from the burning home, but Na'eem died later at a local hospital.

Links about Na'eem Demby: 
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Thursday, January 16, 2014

Avonte Oquendo

Avonte Oquendo (1999-2014)

Avonte Oquendo was 14 years old and had autism. He is from Queens, New York. On October 4, 2013, Avonte went missing from the Riverview School in Queens, New York.  Public safety officials and caring New York citizens conducted a massive search for Avonte throughout the Fall and into the Winter. About 100 days after Avonte Oquendo disappeared his remains were discovered on January 16, 2014, on the banks of the East River. The medical examiner was unable to determine the cause of his death. Avonte Oquendo is the son of Daniel Oquendo and Vanessa Fontaine.

Tribute: 
"Avonte was a great human being. We are grateful for his life, for his courage and for the act of goodness and kindness that his life and tragic death evoked (Edward Cardinal Egan, The New York Daily News, 1/25/2014)."

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