Lake Elsinore Mom Advocates For Her Autistic Son: He Came Into This World For A Reason

I don’t know where time has gone, I blinked my eyes and you are grown The struggles that you’ve had to bear, have always seemed to be unfair Oh how I wish there was a way, to see Autism leave TODAY! …

Lake Elsinore mom Denise Woolsey wrote these words to her 24-year-old son, Brandon, who has severe classic syndrome autism.

For more than 20 years Denise has been advocating for autistic children. Now her challenges have come full circle: When Brandon was young, Denise effected change in the Lake Elsinore Unified School District. Now that her son is grown, she’s working to ensure adults with autism who live in Southwest Riverside County get the services they need too.

Brandon attends a day program in San Diego County that’s geared toward autistic adults, but he lives at home with his parents in Lake Elsinore. He’s a large young man who stands 6’6” and weighs over 400 pounds. He doesn’t communicate with strangers and can become easily agitated. He grunts and sings and seems happy.

“He’s a gentle giant,” Denise said, as Brandon carefully pulled a clip from her hair.

“He doesn’t like it when I wear my hair back,” she explained.

As a toddler, Brandon was just a typical kid. He played, he talked. But one day, very suddenly, it all fell away.

“He lost everything. Overnight he lost it somewhere,” Denise said. “He was 2 ½.”

Doctors eventually diagnosed Brandon with classic syndrome autism, and from that time forward his mom began a new life – and she is a force.

“Watch out, here comes Denise Woolsey,” husband Travis said of his wife’s tenacity.

Her community involvement includes a three-page long list of achievements on behalf of children and adults with autism including co-founding the Inland Empire Autism Society in 1990, organizing the Special Education Advisory Committee for the LEUSD in 1993, signing Carl Perkins grants representing special education for the LEUSD, and serving on the Autism Senate Committee Task Force during 2009-10.

There were no programs for autistic children in the local schools 20 years ago.

“The LEUSD didn’t have classes for him. I had to put my baby on a bus by himself to Riverside,” Denise explained. “Here was this little blonde boy who couldn’t speak. That’s when my advocacy kicked in. I felt like someone had to speak up for these kids.”

Denise rallied other parents and worked with district, county and state officials to effect change.

Today, approximately 500 special needs students attend classes in the LEUSD.

But now Brandon is a young man, and Denise says there aren’t local programs that adequately meet the needs of adults with autism.

The transition from public school to adult day program is non-existent, and the programs that do exist are poorly executed, Denise contends. Lack of trained staff is her primary criticism.

“The majority of young adults with autism who have exited out of the public school system are sitting at home with their parents,” Denise said. “The parents eventually burn out or become too old to care for the child. This is only going to get worse as more children exit the school system.”

Denise is happy with the program Brandon attends in San Diego County.

“I am lucky that I found the school. They are wonderful down there,” she said. “But what about the parents who aren’t so lucky? We need something in Southwest Riverside County.”

Denise is currently working to establish a local facility called Brandon’s Place. Her vision is a ranch environment in which adults with autism can come for the day or live on site.

“I began to envision a life and home for my son that would provide an abundance of opportunities for learning, working and playing,” Denise wrote in her Brandon’s Place founder’s statement. “An environment that would move him through a busy day of refreshing outdoor activities and keep him safe, happy and progressing.”

Denise is still in the early stages of putting together a board of directors and funding for Brandon’s Place, but she is determined.

However, Brandon’s Place isn’t just about her son anymore. Denise is extremely happy with his situation in San Diego. She said he could live there when the time comes.

“We have everything in order for Brandon,” Denise said. “Everything is planned, all the way down to where he will be buried.”

Denise wants to see Brandon’s Place come to fruition for her son and others like him.

“It’s the hardest thing a parent has to do,” Denise and Travis said of sending their son to live away from home, but they acknowledge the reality.

“I’m tired,” 62-year-old Denise said. “Besides, he needs to be an adult. Just like any young person, he likes to be independent.”

Denise and Travis, along with their two daughters Amber and Shannon, have a unique perspective. They have watched autism grow.

“Brandon is who he is and we accept that,” Denise said. “I don’t want to change my son. I am so blessed. He came into this world for a reason.”