I have always wondered what it would be like to truly get to know someone with Autism. Now a hot topic in the news, I was reminded of a school my friend's mom worked at. I was soon introduced to and spent eight days with Chad, a 20 year-old living with autism. Not only does Chad not make you feel sorry for his disabilities, I quickly noticed that he's one of the funniest and most compassionate people I had ever met. I witnessed the heartache he feels from feeling different, but in our time together we took on challenges and pushed the boundaries of his condition. I'm glad to call him a close and trusted friend.