Written By: Saanvi Shah, FCSN VOICES Youth Reporter

Charlie Luo is 27 years old. To many people, he may seem quiet or hard to understand. But to his family, he has always been a light, one that never disappeared, even in the hardest years. Born in the summer of 1998 in the United States through induced labor, Charlie arrived healthy and normal, walking at eleven months and saying his first words around one and a half years old. 

“He pointed to the airplane in the sky and said ‘A-P-’,” his mother, Hannah, remembers. For a while, life felt ordinary, and his parents believed his future would unfold like any other child’s.

Around age two, everything changed. After spending time in China with his grandparents, Charlie returned home at three and a half years old. He had no eye contact, no speech, and no interest in playing with other children. He wandered restlessly, cried often, and engaged in behaviors that made it hard for anyone to connect with him. He would jump on mattresses, pour milk and juice onto the carpet, and move constantly in ways that showed both frustration and energy he could not control. He was throwing tantrums and hitting himself frequently. In the beginning, his father struggled to accept the reality, needing time to process the fact that their son had special needs. His mother however, could not wait. She knew she had to act immediately, seeking answers, researching autism, reading books, attending seminars, and connecting with professionals who could guide them. 

Hannah recalls, “I realized that it is a long-term disability, but I must try my best to build up his necessary skills and improve his quality of life. I cannot give up.”

At four-years-old, Charlie was officially diagnosed with autism with hyperactivity after evaluations with specialists, including a neurologist at Stanford University and a comprehensive assessment at Children’s Health Council. 

“Even before the official diagnosis, I had already searched online and suspected that my child might fall into the category of autism and hyperactivity. However, once the diagnosis was confirmed, it became clear that his challenges went beyond behavior alone. He had many additional behavioral difficulties as well as medical issues, such as eczema and psoriasis, which made his condition more complex.” For Hannah, the diagnosis brought clarity, but also the understanding that raising Charlie would be a lifelong journey.

Despite these challenges, his mother dedicated herself fully to Charlie’s growth. She gave up her job to focus on caregiving, therapies, and treatments, trying everything from music, art, and sports, to behavioral therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy,  acupuncture, dietary adjustments, doctors’ treatments , and folk remedies. Progress was slow and incremental, often feeling invisible for long stretches of time.

 “Seven days a week, 24 hours a day, my life revolved entirely around him,” she recalls. Some days, she would drive him around the freeway at two or three in the morning just to help him calm down without disturbing the rest of the family. During those years, she experienced exhaustion, insomnia, and even depression, yet she found strength in her love for her son and the support of other mothers at FCSN.

Charlie also struggled with many sensory sensitivities and repetitive behaviors. He often flapped his hands, rocked his body back and forth, and sometimes blew bubbles with his saliva. These behaviors made learning and everyday activities difficult, but Hannah refused to give up. Instead, she began searching for activities that could help channel Charlie’s energy and reduce his self-stimulating behaviors. Over time, she introduced him to sports and creative activities such as bowling, badminton, swimming, clay art, and piano. Teaching him was not easy. Charlie had a very short attention span and often struggled to follow instructions. In the early years, some teachers and tutors stopped working with him because they felt frustrated and discouraged by disruptive behaviors and the slow progress. But Hannah believed that teaching Charlie required three essential qualities: patience, passion, and persistence.

After more than ten years of steady effort, she began to notice meaningful changes. Charlie gradually developed a genuine interest in bowling and badminton. As he became more engaged in these activities, many of his repetitive behaviors began to decrease. Today, bowling has become one of his favorite activities, and he even participates in Special Olympics competitions. He has earned second and third-place medals in bowling in the last two years. With the help of a coach who trains his movements and techniques, Charlie’s badminton skills have been improved a lot. He is able to play with others and really enjoys the activity. Through raising Charlie, Hannah says she has learned profound lessons about life.

Charlie playing badminton in his free time. 

“My son is a lovely and shy young adult. He is sweet,” she says. “Through raising him, I learned that even low-functioning autistic children can learn at their own pace.” The experience has also shaped her character in unexpected ways. She explains that the journey taught her tolerance, patience, persistence, and compassion. No matter how difficult the process became, she never allowed herself to give up on educating and supporting her son.

Hannah also hopes other parents facing a similar diagnosis will not lose hope. “The most important thing is to truly understand what is happening with your child,” she says. “Once you understand their needs, you can begin working with them instead of waiting for things to change on their own.” 

At the same time, she believes society still has much work to do in supporting individuals with autism and their families. Access to appropriate resources, therapies, and community support can be difficult, and many families struggle to navigate the long-term challenges of raising a child with special needs. Greater awareness, understanding, and support systems could make this journey less isolating for parents and caregivers.

To his parents, Charlie is more than his diagnosis. He is, as Hannah describes him, their “broken-winged angel,” someone who shines quietly in his own way.