MEET THE FUNK FAMILY

BY MARIA SMIETANA • PHOTOS BY 21 VINES PHOTOGRAPHY

Fifteen years ago, Julie and Adam Funk made the decision to move their family from Crown Point to Fishers, IN. Their son Jason, who is on the autism spectrum, was two at the time, and their goal was to raise him in a place that had the resources he needed, particularly verbal behavior therapy. “One of our happiest memories came after Adam and I went to a weekend verbal behavior seminar and came home and taught Jason how to sign for ‘on’ and ‘milk’ in a matter of minutes,” Julie recalled.

“Prior to this, he had not been able to communicate at all. We were ecstatic, and that event prompted our move to the Indianapolis area.” The decision turned out to be a good one. Not only did Jason, 17, make his way through school—he’s now a senior at Hamilton Southeastern High School—he learned to speak! “We didn’t know if he would ever speak,” Adam said. “Now he’s an engaging public speaker. We are proud that he is publicly sharing his story about having autism and his challenges and strengths. He is a great ambassador for the autism community.”

There have been many milestones in Jason’s life that his parents recount with pride. Starting school was a big one. “Other happy times were when the therapists would bring him to the car and show us what he had learned that day, and more recently when he got his learner’s permit,” Julie said. On top of that, Jason is a black belt in taekwondo and publishes a bi-weekly comic and essay on his website, funkworldhq.com. He has published two comic books, The Bus Seat, and The Merchant of Misfortune. Jason’s first graphic novel, Burger Quest, came out in August 2023. His books, blog, and speaker inquiry form can also be found on funkworldhq.com.

Despite his genius-level IQ and achievements that surpass many of his neurotypical peers, it hasn’t been an easy road for Jason. He still has challenges with executive functioning in school, and while he can speedread his way through the twenty or so books he checks out on every trip to the library, he has a tough time making friends. “None of his milestones were ever taken for granted and that holds true for future milestones,” Julie said. “He sees a behavior consultant weekly and has an IEP at school.”

Giving Jason the best chance at reaching his potential while also assuring that his younger siblings, Allison, 16, and John, 13, weren’t shortchanged meant that Adam and Julie had to make some tough calls. Julie, a Purdue alum who went on to earn an MS in physical therapy from the University of Indianapolis, decided to be the full-time at-home parent. Adam, also a Purdue grad, is the income-earning parent. He’s a pharmacist at CVS, which often requires working evenings, weekends, and even some holidays. “We gave up our free time and my career to be available for the kids, Julie said. “And with most of our family back in northwest Indiana, Adam and I rely entirely on each other for support. Adam’s work schedule constantly changes, so holidays like Thanksgiving are celebrated with just our immediate family.”

Having some routine in their family life helps the Funks maintain stability and reduce stress. As Catholics, they attend church weekly, and they focus on leisure activities that they can all enjoy. While Jason’s interests are more limited than those of his siblings, visits to Top Golf and water parks are two things that appeal to all the kids. They also added River to the family, “a rescue dog who loves everybody,” Julie laughed. “She is, of course, the very best dog.”

Travel time takes the Funks to Holiday World every year. They’ve also been to Gatlinburg, and historic places like Mount Rushmore and Washington, DC. Florida’s Destin is their favorite beach spot. “We split up when we have to so that all three kids can enjoy the vacation,” Julie said. “This is particularly true in amusement parks since Jason doesn’t like rollercoasters, and the same is true for beach destinations—he’s not a huge beach fan.”

Like many teens, Jason has a long list of favorite fast-food places, including Aurelios, Culvers, Marcos, Five Guys, and Dairy Queen. He loves cheese pizza, burgers, chocolate ice cream, and his mom’s spaghetti. Interestingly, Jason doesn’t listen to music, but he’s a big fan of Dr. Who and the Mandalorian. He likes to play video games, especially Super Mario Brothers.

As Jason moves into adulthood, Julie and Adam are especially thankful to The Behavior Analysis Center for Autism for supporting Jason on his journey. Their biggest wish is that companies in the Indy area would provide professional, well-paying career opportunities for individuals on the autism spectrum. For families looking for a place to raise a child with disabilities, Julie is very positive about Fishers - “It is a great community with a lot of resources and activities for those with special needs.” And when it gets tough to raise a child with differences, she encourages parents not to give up. “Pray. Find an outlet. The sun always rises.”