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ELO community mobilizes to lift spirits of autistic man in midst of COVID-19 crisis

Submitted photo Isaiah Roach, a 23-year-old autistic man, holds a sketch drawn by Chicago artist Shariff Musallam, while standing next to nearly 100 cards, letters and other pieces of correspondence like pictures from coloring books courtesy of residents who responded to his mother’s plea on Facebook.

EAST LIVERPOOL — During a typical day, an autistic man attended a St. Clair Township workshop every weekday like clockwork. However programs like that of the Employment Development Inc are closed due to the coronavirus quarantine.

Every April is World Autism Month, and individuals on the autism spectrum are often forgotten during times like this.

That is not the case with 23-year-old Isaiah Roach.

His mother Elaine Gardner, who is in health care, recently reached out to the community, after watching Isaiah struggle with adjustments made from his typical day.

Educational experts advise parents to explain the situation in a “factual, positive way” and to stress the return to the lifestyle that they are accustomed to is right around the corner. However, Gardner struggled to relay the message to Isaiah.

For Isaiah, his typical day was to wake up and go to work, going somewhere like the YMCA, library or a restaurant when he gets home, but all those places are now closed due to the coronavirus. She has tried to successfully relay why all the changes, but Isaiah doesn’t understand.

“We have a calendar, where we have written that the workshop is closed every day for him to visualize. We have told him everything is closed because a lot of people are sick, but it’s still difficult for him,” Gardner explained.

Gardner posted to social media, reaching out about her family’s plight, but she also had an idea.

“A lot of your kids are working on writing, coloring, painting, etc. while off school. So if you would like, have your kid write a letter or card, draw a picture – anything – and send it to Isaiah. He definitely won’t judge misspelled words or coloring out of the lines, and it’d give him something to look forward to when we go to the mailbox.”

Days later, the mail for Isaiah started to pour in – everything from cards to gifts that including crayons and coloring books to keep him busy during his extended break. He even received an invitation to come to one home during the summer to go swimming in a beach themed package. She estimates that he has received around 100 pieces of mail in the past couple weeks.

In fact, after a friend from in town shared Isaiah’s story with an artist friend in Chicago , he sent Isaiah a special sketch in the mail.

“Over here, (we feel) blessed beyond words at the outpouring of love for Isaiah. (The United State Postal Service’) business will be booming. It’s true (that) in every dark cloud, there is a silver lining,” Gardner later posted to her social media presence.

Isaiah’s major days at the mailbox appeared to make a difference, as videos to Gardner’s page showed him flying kites and enjoying life again – all thanks to his friends from all over the continental U.S.

She concluded by saying she wants East Liverpool residents to see what her family sees. “This is a community full of love and support. We are going through a rough, difficult and scary time right now. People have set their own needs and fears aside to make Isaiah’s day brighter and see him smile,” Gardner concluded. “It’s very humbling. (East Liverpool) gets a negative rap a lot of the time, but the good here far outweighs the bad. What a precious community we live in.”

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