“I don’t want that. Get away”: Danny Miner speaks after 50 years
Danny Miner was in his late 50s when he first spoke last summer after a half-century, the May 21st STLtoday reports. Miner, who has autism and will be 60 in August, is said to have stoppped speaking when he was 5 years old, after which he was diagnosed with autism. His father died when he was 7 years old; his mother then took care of him at home while working full-time. Miner was institutionalized at Fulton State Hospital in Missouri at the age of 13. He stayed there, and did not speak, until he was 45 years old in 1993, when he moved to Calverton House in north St. Louis County, a residential home for autistic persons run by the Judevine Center. Miner’s first words after so many years were “‘I don’t want that. Get away,’” while he was in the medical hospital and having a procedure done for his heart.
One reason I chose the Latin word vox or “voice” for this blog is because I used to wonder, or rather worry, “what if Charlie never talks?” Charlie can talk in short phrases (in sentences when prompted) and is not always too clear in his articulation. Over the years, I have learned that there are other ways to talk, for Charlie to speak and express his desires and thoughts—his body language, the tone and melody of his warbling and hums. The sound of his voice, with words and wordless, makes for some good listening.
Never say never, right?
5 opinions for “I don’t want that. Get away”: Danny Miner speaks after 50 years
Ballastexistenz
May 21, 2007 at 3:42 pm
Why does it say he chose not to speak? Did he tell them that? Because I would think that if someone didn’t talk for 50 years it would be for some reason other than just because they didn’t feel like it. And I worry that they might have decided, like a lot of people, that if someone doesn’t do something, and then does it, and then only does it inconsistently or not at all, then they “must have known how all along but just not wanted to”. Which is not how autistic people tend to work.
Kristina Chew, PhD
May 21, 2007 at 8:31 pm
I thought that wording (about him “choosing” not to speak) contained some unarticulated assumptions; I am also wondering what happened to his mother.
Marcie
May 22, 2007 at 9:04 am
“the silence of autism can be broken”
They really need to find a new phrase, this one is soooo overused.
Kristina Chew, PhD
May 22, 2007 at 9:33 am
One could make a list!
mika
May 22, 2007 at 12:09 pm
I used to work at this residential home.
There was a client that displayed a lot of Autism traits. He was in his early 50’s
His file said “severe retardation”.
I taught him basic sign language.
He picked up the sign language so quick.
He started sounding the words with the signs.
I was so excited for him.
I would wonder what other locks could be unlocked.
If he got the right early intervention.
I think about this a lot with adults and my younger students. What can I do today to help them 13 to a year down the line.
Communication is such a powerful ability.
If it’s through PECS, guiding by hand, written,
etc…
I feel it’s so important to help them find their voice.
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