01/25/2026
How it started...Christmas 2025...
When you’re the parent of an autistic child, this time of year, especially at Christmas, carries a very specific kind of hope. It’s quiet, almost unspoken. You hope for that Christmas miracle. You hope that somehow, this year, that autism just disappears. That your child is suddenly cured.
However, reality is otherwise. Autism doesn’t work that way. But something else has happened this year. Something wonderful…
Being wonderful, I think about the movie It’s a Wonderful Life. That movie is not about a big, single flashy miracle. Its really about the small ones that change everything if you’re paying attention. Jimmy isn’t cured, but instead, angels and miracles showed up in different ways.
The first angel is Jimmy’s respite person. Her name is Lisa DePofi. Lisa has been with Jimmy for over 10 years. She introduced Jimmy to various types of art and him being able to create and express himself.
Then there is Emily Jablon, the owner of Jablon Art Studios. Emily gave Jimmy a space to express himself without trying to fix him. Through her studio, Jimmy found a voice he didn’t have with words. His holiday ornaments aren’t just decorations; they’re how he tells the world who he is.
Then another small miracle happened at the Bull Thistle Art Studio & Gallery, in Owego, NY. This is owned by Sheamus Burns. Sheamus didn’t just hang Jimmy’s artwork on a wall to fill space, but rather, he treated it as real art, worthy of being displayed, seen, valued, and purchased. For a kid like Jimmy who’s often underestimated, that matters more than people realize.
And then there’s the community of angels. These are all of the people who buy Jimmy’s ornament artwork. This is also people who have quietly supported Jimmy by making sure he has the materials to keep creating. This kind of community support says, “You matter”. “What you make matters”.
So no, Jimmy won’t be getting the big miracle we want. But he did get something better, with the collection of the little miracles:
- He got expression.
- He got dignity.
- He got people who believe in him, exactly as he is.
And during Christmas, that feels like it’s a wonderful life kind of collection of miracles that has happened to Jimmy. We are truly grateful for these gifts. Thank you everyone. Merry Christmas!
