The Horse Boy

Last night, Danny and I went to the Rocky Mountain PBS Community Cinema event at the Starz FilmCenter. Community Cinema is a free event, open to all that gives a sneak peak of an upcoming episode of PBS’s documentary series Independent Lens, followed by a panel discussion. Its goal is to start conversations, at the event and following it.

Last night, the screening was of The Horse Boy. The Horse Boy is about a family with an autistic son named Rowen. They discovered that the only time Rowen was calm was when he was on the back of a horse, so they decide to do something crazy...they go to Mongolia, the place where horses were first domesticated, in search of shaman healing. The movie follows their journey, both physical and emotional.



The story was incredibly moving, and the strength of the parents (and any parent of an autistic child) left me without words. As simply a woman who is planning to have children, I was on the verge of tears throughout the entire screening. I was imaging being in their place...the lengths you would go to as a parent to help your child...the emotional ups and downs...the desperation....the strength...the hope....I literally have no words. I can only hope that if something like that happened in my life that I would find the strength somewhere.

The panel discussion following the screening was equally as fascinating. It was made up of a shaman healer, a representative of the Autism Society of Colorado, and a DU professor who studies hipotherapy and other animal therapies. First of all, I found it so interesting that there is a practicing shaman in Denver. But, one of the most shocking facts revealed during the discussion is that Colorado ranks 51st in the US for funding for people with disabilities. The majority of Autism Society of Colorado's funding comes from private donations, and awareness is key. Did you know that autism is an epidemic? According to the CDC, 1 in every 169 eight year old children in Colorado have an autism spectrum disorder. Chances are that you know someone who has a child who falls within the spectrum.

The whole event left me wanting to do more and do something to raise awareness, even if it's a small thing (like talk about it here). PBS is going to broadcast The Horse Boy sometime in the month of May, so check your local PBS listings for the date and time. It's a wonderful film and such an inspiring and deeply moving story.

And, if you'd like to make a donation to the Autism Society, then do it! Donations are crucial in the Autism Society's ability to serve the autism community, and even a small donation could make a big difference in someone's life.