By Kate Miller Photos By Buonanno Photography
MEET THE
MILLER FAMILY:
K AT E , B E A U , A N D T H E O The Inspiration Behind Ausome Indy
K
ate Miller never seems to stop. The Indianapolis native is mom to six-year-old Beau, who is on the autism spectrum, and 18-month-old Theo. She’s also Assistant Director of Philanthropy at Phalen Leadership Academies in Indianapolis and the co-founder and board chair of Ausome Indy. This is her story.
It is early in my parenting journey… I know the challenges I have faced have actually made me stronger, more aware, and more inclined to advocate for my family. I also know I have a lot of road ahead of me as a mom, and what [lies ahead] can sometimes be overwhelming to think about. That is a challenge in itself – the actual fear and rush of adrenaline I get when I begin to contemplate how my child with autism will navigate the world and regulate himself as a teenager, a young adult, and into adulthood. The biggest hurdle I incur daily is being overwhelmed and even stopped in my tracks by those thoughts. I work each day to overcome that–I practice being mindful of where I focus my thoughts and reminding myself to “be here now.” My son, Beau, is what has been described to me by doctors as an “eloper” – he has a strong innate desire to explore, touch, feel, taste, and move. In any environment, Beau does not recognize or acknowledge danger or fear. It is one of the most incredible things about him and also the most demanding part of caring for him and keeping him safe. He sees the world with such joy and excitement that it can sometimes be dangerous, leading him to go out of doors that are not locked, venture around outside, and even into the water with no safety precautions. Last summer, Beau walked right into his aunt’s pool – he simply stepped right in with all the excitement a kid could have! And he went straight to the bottom of the 8-foot-deep pool. He loves water, but has not learned to keep his body buoyant in water, and does not mind swallowing the water – it is a very scary thing for mom. I dove right in with all my belongings still strapped to me, swam to the bottom of the pool, and pulled him out. All our family members were in shock, unsure of what to do or say next.
42 Special Needs Living • April 2022
