Former NASA Engineer Mark Rober Introduces His Wonderful Autistic Son to His Viewers

Former NASA engineer Mark Rober, who conducts wonderfully ingenious experiments, took a touching personal turn when he introduced his beautiful son to the world, something he’s hesitant to do so in the past because his son has autism.

The reason I’m so protective of him is because he has special needs. He’s on the autistic spectrum and this is the internet. So even as I make this video I’m incredibly terrified but this is something that my wife and I
feel really strongly about.

Rober describes his son as joyful and kind. He enjoys making people happy and once he finds out someone’s favorite color, he colors a page for them and writes them a short note on the back to help make their day better. It’s clear he’s very proud of his son for who he is.

According to Rober, autism is not a disability, but rather an inability to process sensory overload.

Basically people with autism don’t have a filter in their brain like the rest of us. So if you and I are
having a conversation here in this park, I can ignore everything around me and just focus on your voice. But if I had autism, I would hear the ice cream man ringing, the bell behind me, and the kid crying because he’s not getting any ice cream. And the car going by and the plane up there as well as the train in the distance, and not to mention all of the different smells and the fact that the tag on my shirt is kind of rubbing on my back. It’s sensory overload and everything comes in all at once and it’s really overwhelming and makes it hard to focus.

Rober is working with Jimmy Kimmel to raise funds for the non-profit NEXT for Autism with “Color the Spectrum”, a livestream event that takes place on April 30th and features stars from YouTube, television, and film.

Join hosts Jimmy Kimmel and Mark Rober (former NASA engineer with 17M YouTube subscribers) along with Jon Stewart, Conan O’Brien, Chris Rock, Adam Sandler, Stephen Colbert, John Oliver, Jack Black, Andy Samberg, and a stellar collection of stars, YouTube creators, entertainers, comedians, musicians, athletes, and more in a three-hour, interactive, livestreamed event as they raise money to support NEXT for AUTISM. This star-studded, celebrity and creator-led show featuring musical performances, comedy skits, and DIY science stunts will benefit autism programs across the country as viewers engage in real-time with the show’s hosts and guests, donating and bidding on memorable OMAZE experiences and one-of-a-kind keepsakes.

Lori Dorn
Lori Dorn

Lori is a Laughing Squid Contributing Editor based in New York City who has been writing blog posts for over a decade. She also enjoys making jewelry, playing guitar, taking photos and mixing craft cocktails.

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