District Leader Jarolin Maldonado’s son Dametre, nicknamed Meeche, was like many children reaching important milestones before age 1, such as walking, crawling and even saying, ‘momma.’ However, Meeche regressed and was unable to communicate. He was tested and diagnosed with autism at 2-and-half years old. 

“I was a store manager and I felt emotionally depressed for months after his diagnosis. I went through different stages to accept his diagnosis,” Jarolin says. “When I got the diagnosis, the psychiatrist didn’t really do anything or help me. They didn’t sit down with me and tell me why Meeche had repetitive behavior, was nonverbal, and didn’t make eye contact. Autism Speaks helped me and provided me with the information to understand my son and his diagnosis.”

Jarolin has been with GameStop for 13 years, so when GameStop started an in-store fundraising campaign for World Autism Month she became very proud to work for a company who is raising the understanding and acceptance of individuals with autism. “As a parent of a child with autism, we mostly want the acceptance part. Awareness is growing, but I want people to accept my son. He is different. He may have a condition. And the repetitive behavior won’t go away, but he is a human being. I’m glad that GameStop is doing the campaign for acceptance, because we need people to better understand autism as my son grows up in this world,” she says.

The last time Jarolin heard Meeche call her momma was at 6 months old. It wasn’t until he was 4 that Meeche was able to again call Jarolin “momma.” Now, Meeche is 8, and every time he is able to say new words Jarolin is blown away.

“What was painted years ago about people with autism is that they will have no life. I’m thinking now Meeche can be a doctor, lawyer, game developer or whatever he wants to be,” Jarolin says. “My family and I wouldn’t want Meeche any other way. He’s so comical and amazing. I am his biggest fan, he’s the love of my life, and I am his voice until he can have his own.”