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I am interrupting my ongoing posts on Transformation vs. Coping to describe the first serious "run" my son has made from home.....
So my son ran today. More of a stroll really, but I guess the official term is “run”. I’ve written before about how he has “escaped” from my apartment here in NYC, and typically been found by neighbors in the building and or the doormen. Today was different.
I had a sitter here working with Alex; I was our riding my bike in Central Park. When I returned home, my doorman told me Alex was missing and the staff was looking for him. This has happened before, however when he told me how Alex had been gone for over 30 minutes I felt sick. That was new. His adventures before lasted about 5 minutes or so, before cameras or residents found him. I should say he is quite noisy and tough to miss. Most in our neighborhood know him on site (see photo) luckily (a good reason to stay put I guess).
Upon learning Alex was gone for such a long time, I quickly joined the hunt. Our high-rise is connected to a smaller building via a stairwell. This smaller “back” building houses mostly retired folks, who in the past have contacted the front desk upon finding Alex wandering their halls (overall this has happened maybe 4 times). This time he was spotted getting on an elevator (separate elevators for the two buildings). As I searched I learned he had been spotted there and focused on the “back” building. Staff was in both buildings (along with some fellow residents and Alex’s worried sitter) climbing stairwells, riding elevators, and checking roofs, back gardens, the street. I ran around the outside of the building, asking dog walkers, doormen, garage attendants and random passersby if Alex had been spotted. Again, Alex as a 15-year-old curly blonde haired noisy yet non-verbal boy is tough to miss. After about an hour, or I should say an HOUR, the front desk of the building got me on my cell and said the police had brought Alex in.
What had happened was that Alex had gotten out though the “back” building to the street and decided to walk towards 2nd avenue (we live on 3rd) and a kindly neighbor in another apartment building realized something was up and actually knew of Alex (just from being in the neighborhood) and took him in (she has a townhome). After giving him a sandwich and banana, she called the police, and they jointly returned him to our building. Police suggest a bracelet with the usual “lost” information, however Alex can easily rip that off (and has). My best bet is to add an inside lock and key. Needless to say it was quite the way to end Labor Day Weekend.
My purpose in sharing this is twofold. One, to just help me unwind! The other, to communicate to those who have experienced similar “runs” that they are not alone, and that people, our neighbors, the police can be caring and concerned. Some of the neighbors and police officers involved hugged and slapped my back in a show of support. I thank them all.
If you have experienced an autism “run” please share and put others at ease.
