For what it's worth, the Vegas oddsmakers have Ernie Els at 60-1 to win the Masters this week. That's nothing. The odds that Els would ever become an international spokesperson and world-class philanthropist for autism research were a VCU-like long shot, maybe higher.
But here he is, the unlikely front man for a cause he didn't choose. Instead, it chose him -- or more precisely, it chose his 8-year-old son Ben, who was diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in 2006.
"At first, you think you've been knocked down by the man upstairs," Els said. "It is a challenge at first. But when you find your feet, it really is a blessing. It's a special way of life. These kids are special people. We call them, 'God's kids, God's children.'"
