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2017 RTD Person of the Year Hall of Fame inductee: a daughter's letter to Alan Kirshner

Richmond Times-Dispatch - 12/13/2017

Brittany Faison's autism diagnosis inspired her grandfather, Alan Kirshner, to help develop what is now the Faison Center. We asked Lynne Faison - Brittany's mom and Kirshner's daughter - to write a letter to her dad.

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Dear Dad,

Flash back 25 years ago. Your 18-month-old granddaughter gets diagnosed with autism, and there is nowhere in Richmond to help her. You were there when I needed you the most, and instead of letting me feel sorry for myself, you helped me find a way to be proactive and work with Brittany.

Through your hard work, integrity, perseverance and love, we created an autism center - not only for your granddaughter but for so many other families facing the same dilemma.

Brittany has never missed a beat. Who would have ever imagined that your unsocial, nonverbal grandchild would create and insist on a traditional tractor/hayloft picture with all of her family at each Thanksgiving dinner? She has the best life and attitude of anyone I know - thanks to your vision of the Faison Center, your dedication to its success and your refusal to let anyone or anything stand in its way.

When I thought we couldn't do it, you told me we could. When the school would go through challenging periods, you worked harder - fighting to stick with the ABA teaching method when others doubted it. You devoted even more time - finding a way to get public school funding. You increased your support - demanding that we raise the age limit through high school. You kept the vision alive - forming partnerships with prestigious universities so we could offer cutting-edge services to every child on the spectrum. You moved forward - turning the school into a center to include housing and lifetime treatment.

Nothing stops you from making things succeed. Of the many things I have learned from you, what sticks out in my mind the most is "anything is possible" and "we can always be better." You made sure that we stuck to our original mission - striving for excellence - and the results speak for themselves.

I want to thank you, Dad, from the bottom of my heart. Not only have you helped Brittany, but you have helped so many other people as well. You are such a leader and inspiration to me, and I only hope to affect others in my life as you have affected me. I am so lucky that you are my father!

With love always,

Lynne