Teen Couple Humiliated at Movie Theater Plan New Date Courtesy of Phillies

OK, even as a Mets fan, I have to post this and tip my cap to Philadelphia Phillies and their fans.

What first seemed like a humiliating date night for a teenage couple has set off a flood of support larger than even FOX 29 expected.

On Wednesday night, we introduced you to 17-year-old Annarose and 18-year-old Stephan. Both live with Down Syndrome and both are inseparable.

This past weekend, Stephan planned to take Annarose to an AMC movie theater in Marlton, New Jersey. The theater had assigned seating and the couple accidentally sat in the wrong row.

A movie theater worker told them to move to different seats that were separate from each other.

Autistic Girl Named 'Teen Hero' at Samsung Hope for Children Event

PARKLAND, Fla. -- The 10th annual Samsung Hope for Children event in New York featured former President Bill Clinton, Jennifer Lopez, Demi Moore and Dan Marino, but a Parkland teenager nonetheless stood out.

Haley Moss, autistic but with artistic talent to burn, was honored with the Teen Hero award by Marino, who she is working with to raise funds for children with special needs. Other stars at the event took home some of her artworks as gifts while seven were auctioned off to raise money for charity.

Special Needs and the Vocational Dream

Young Emilio wants to grow up to be a firefighter. Little Emma wants to be a teacher. How do we know? Because we ask them. We prepare them. We push them. We guide them. Is it assumed differently for a child with autism or a child with intellectual disabilities or even multiple disabilities? If those with severe disabilities are capable and only require society to think out of the box, seems the world could make a place for a willing heart.
An intriguing research article coming out in the August 2011 issue of Intellectual & Development Disabilities looks at what is being done to enable the vocational dreams of some special needs kids. Parents need to be girded with facts and data to help them partner early on with educators, counselors, and employers to moving more severely disabled children closer to finding their life's work.