Jesse Saperstein
For Jesse Saperstein, who suffers from Asperger’s Syndrome, inappropriate behavior and class clowning was a constant throughout his childhood, especially during periods of transition. He was a target for near-constant bullying because being “extremely weird” was not considered to be a legitimate disability. Asperger’s syndrome was not recognized as an American disability until 1994, and shortly thereafter, a psychiatrist diagnosed him with Asperger’s syndrome in 1996, when he was fourteen years old. After his turbulent college years ended, he made the decision to hike the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine to raise money for Camp Teens Living a Challenge (TLC) in Port Jervis, NY, a free summer camp for kids ages 13-19 living with HIV/AIDS. He published Atypical, Life with Asperger’s in 20 1/3 Chapters in 2010 to show the mainstream public a side of autism that is responsible for hope and social contributions to society. It earned praise from high-profile individuals such as Sigourney Weaver. On Tuesday, August 9th, 2011, Saperstein performed his first skydiving jump and rallied the entire community in an effort to show what can happen when people with challenges have the right opportunities and enough people to believe in their talents. The YouTube video “Free-Falling to End Bullying in 2012” is the first video to feature an extreme sport and children with autism opening up about their painful experiences. www.jessesaperstein.com
