The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1222671
4 THE WOLVERINE APRIL 2020 A CHANCE TO HELP Dear The Wolverine, I am an autism advocate and na- tional motivational speaker for autism acceptance. I was diagnosed with au- tism at age 4 and since then I have not let my autism block me from fight- ing to spread autism awareness through- out our world. When I was in my early years, I had many princi- pals and doctors tell me that I would never become successful on my own. Now I am a leader running around spreading messages through a network of multiple world lead- ers from a variety of areas including the Dalai Lama, Stephen Hawking, Jack Nick- laus, John McCain, Rachel Ray, Jon Ru- nyan, Mike Hucka- bee, Red Berenson, Muhammad Ali and even all currently liv- ing U.S. presidents — Donald Trump, Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter. With my background, I wasn't go- ing to let anyone continue defining my life or keep me from rolling like a ball down a hill with momentum to eradicate bullying or fight any in- justice for those with autism-related disorders. Since I'm now CEO of the Xavier DeGroat Autism Foundation, I speak with my true heart at those who remain or currently misuse the term autism, which often makes things for people on the spectrum more difficult to reach their own potential economi- cally and through education. My foundation is dedicated to raising autism awareness and accep- tance, and raising funds to help set up programs and seminars to educate law enforcement, public emergency institutions, business executives and public service officials to better allow access to be fully giving to those on the autism spectrum as they need to be treated with dignity and pride. People on the spectrum have a lot to offer society as a whole with their savant skills at times; other times they have a lot of faster-than-normal thinking with their sensitive mobility with "thinking in pictures" like Dr. Temple Grandin calls it. Because of her own autism background, she used her differences to make the world better with the en- vironment of the livestock industry for animals that we eat from farms and pets that we love and enjoy as in dogs to be better treated. Dr. Grandin sees the world differently, but not any less than what normal people do. Autism isn't a dis- ability — it's a dif- ferent ability. That's what I have to offer with my own heart as the Xavier DeGroat Autism Foundation will be having an au- tism awareness event on May 29 with spe- cial guest U-M head coach Jim Harbaugh, and many others in- cluding his father, Jack Harbaugh; for- mer Wolverine and NFL player Fitzgerald Toussaint; and other former Michigan football play- ers like Jim Brandstatter and Fritz Seyferth. We will raise funds to build a sensory room and educate the com- munity on autism. To stay in my loop to hear more of my work and my network, stay tuned for my advocacy as I appear on the Mike Huckabee Show April 11, on the Mitch Albom Show May 18 at 6:35 p.m. and many other national shows. To learn more, buy tickets to the event and stay up to date, please visit www.xavierdegroatfoundation.org, or visit us on Facebook, Twitter or In- stagram. You may even call the Foun- dation at (517) 242-6632 if you have further questions. I am glad to be part of the Wolverine society. Thanks, and "Go Blue." Xavier DeGroat Lansing, Mich. April 2020 • Vol. 31, No. 9 ISSN 1048-9940 Editor John Borton TheWolverine.com Editor Chris Balas Football Recruiting Writer EJ Holland Staff Writers Austin Fox, Drew Hallett Bob Miller, Clayton Sayfie Managing Editor Ryan Tice Contributing Editor Steve Downey Layout And Design Jeanette Blankenship Chris Miller Contributing Photographers Lon Horwedel Per Kjeldsen Cover Photo Per Kjeldsen Publisher Stu Coman Business Manager Linda Autry Marketing/Merchandise Manager Beverly Taylor Director Of Advertising Michelle Delee-Hamilton Customer Service Cathy Jones, Laura Thornton The Wolverine is published monthly. A one-year (12 issues) subscription is $56.99. The Wolverine is printed at The Papers in Milford, Ind. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Wolverine, P.O. Box 2331, Durham, NC 27702. Periodical postage paid at Durham, NC 27702 and additional offices. For advertising or subscription information, call 1-800-421-7751 or write The Wolverine, P.O. Box 2331, Durham, NC 27702. The Wolverine is a publication of Coman Publishing Company, 905 W. Main St, Suite 24F, Durham, NC 27701. E-Mail Address: thewolverine@comanpub.com Subscription questions: cjones@comanpub.com Website: www.thewolverine.com Be Heard! Send your letters to: Wolverine Letters • P.O. Box 2331 Durham, NC 27702 Or email: ryantice@comanpub.com Letters may be edited for clarity or length. FROM OUR READERS U-M head coach Jim Harbaugh will be in attendance at Xavier DeGroat's Autism Awareness event at the Michigan Union May 29. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL