Meet Ryan

Tim Cartledge still remembers the day his 1-year-old son, Ryan, was diagnosed with autism. Tim went to the library to learn more about his son’s condition. He was disheartened with the minimal information about autism, and the information he did find did not give him much of a positive outlook for his son.   

Since that library visit, Tim has explored all Ryan’s options. Tim has struggled with public schoolteachers who simply did not know how to educate Ryan, who does not speak. By the time Ryan transitioned to middle school, he had become increasingly aggressive and refused to participate in class activities. That is when Tim heard about The Marcus Institute, now Marcus Autism Center.

Today, Ryan is 18 years old and works with a certified special education teacher in the Marcus School every day. He has become significantly less aggressive. Tim and stepmother, Tammy, are so committed to their son’s treatment they drive more than 90 miles round-trip from Covington, Ga., each day. Though Tim knows his son has a long way to go, he believes Ryan has a bright future ahead of him—thanks to Marcus Autism Center.

“I don’t know where we’d be without Marcus Autism Center and the support from the staff,” Tim said. “It’s a family there—not just a place to go. We’ve formed lifelong relationships.”

Marcus Autism Center also has improved Ryan and Tim’s relationship.

“Ryan and I already had a great relationship, but Marcus Autism Center staff improved our communication,” Tim said. “I’ve always known what Ryan needed, but I didn’t always know how to give it to him. Now, Ryan better understands why he does things, and as a result, he lets me help him. Marcus Autism Center changed Ryan’s life.”