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troduction to how the lives of everyone in the Warner family would change. It's a journey that Curt, the star tailback on Penn State's 1982 national championship team and three-time AFC Pro Bowler who now lives with his family in Washington state, recounted in August at the National Autism Conference at Penn State. Curt finds it difficult to speak publicly about their family life; it took him months to respond to the invitation to speak, he said, because he gets so emotional talking about "the boys. He was joined on the " stage by Ana and by his older son, Jonathan, a wide receiver for the Nittany Lions, so the family could support each other in public as they do daily in private. Curt opened the family's talk by giving what he called "three disclaimers" – that he and Ana were speaking only of their own opinions and experiences, that they are not politically affiliated with any group, and that he wanted to "commend the front-line people, parents and educators, " who deal with autism every day. "I assure you that I'm in the same boat with you, he said. "I don't want this chal" lenge. I tell people that – I don't want this, I don't want to deal with it. Let somebody else deal with it. Well, sorry – you got picked. Whether you like it, whether you don't like it, you've got to deal with it. We choose to deal with it from an optimistic standpoint. We are never going to give up on our boys. " The audience – mostly parents and educators of autistic children – applauded. Curt added: "Never give up, never give in. But you learn to pray quite a bit. Learn to pray – this will force you to your knees. " Then he stepped away from the podium, unable to continue. He took a few deep breaths. "Excuse me, he said, softly. " Austin and Christian, now 19, are seniors in high school with what the Warners call a "medium" level of autism. They're unable to live on their own, and Jonathan, 20, brought some attendees at the conference to tears as he discussed his own future. "I realize that later on in life – not anytime soon – that I'm going to have to take care of them, Jonathan said. "For the rest " of my life. And I'm completely fine with THE WARNER FILE .(and one in Los Angeles with the Rams), rushing for 6,844 yards and earning three Pro Bowl invitations (1983, '86 and '87). In 1994, he became the third BORN March 18, 1961 player inducted into the Seahawks' Ring of Honor. HOMETOWN Wyoming, W.Va. PERSONAL Warner and wife Ana have four children: HIGH SCHOOL Pineville sons Jonathan, Austin and Christian and daughter Is- PENN STATE HIGHLIGHTS Warner led the Nittany Li- abella. Jonathan Warner is a redshirt freshman wide ons in rushing for three consecutive seasons (1980, receiver on the Nittany Lion football team. The Warn- '81 and '82) and was named an All-American after his ers reside in Camas, Wash., a suburb of Portland, Ore. junior and senior years. He was an instrumental part of Penn State's first national championship season, After retiring from pro football, Curt owned a Chevrolet dealership in gaining 1,041 yards and averaging 4.3 yards Vancouver, Wash., but sold it in per carry. In his final college game, he gained 2010. 117 yards and scored two touchdowns to help lift the Nittany Lions past Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. Warner finished his career with 3,398 rushing yards and remained Penn State's career leader until Evan Royster passed him in 2010. NFL HIGHLIGHTS Drafted third overall by the Seattle Seahawks in 1983, Warner was named the AFC's Rookie of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year after rushing for 1,449 yards to help lead Seattle to its first appearance in the conference championship game. He missed most of his second season after his ACL was torn in the Seahawks' opener, but he returned to action in 1984 and went on to play seven seasons in Seattle that, because they are my family. They are my brothers." When Curt and Ana left the doctor's office that day with their 5-year-old, newly diagnosed twins, they had one thought in mind: to find a way to fix their sons. They soon found out that was impossible, and they've spent the past 14 years finding ways to cope. The twins are old enough that they need to shave, but Ana has to do it for them. Their hormones were so uncontrollable during puberty that Curt had to learn to hang drywall; the boys did that much damage. When they travel, Curt and Ana fly separately, reducing the odds that the twins could be left without either parent to care for them. All doors in their home are always locked – adults carry the keys on their person, even when they're inside, at all times – and their property is surrounded by a high fence to keep the twins from wandering away.

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