About Leon

My son, Leon, is 26 now. He was diagnosed with severe autism when he was three. It’s hard to put into words what our journey has been like, but I’ll try. He can’t speak, maybe a few words, and it’s as if the words we say don’t quite reach him. I know he hears us, but he doesn’t respond in the ways most would expect. The world of communication—of words, gestures, and expressions—just isn’t something that seems to resonate with him. He lives in his own space, separate from mine or anyone else's.

One of those things is drawing. I don't know how or when it began exactly, but Leon found a way to express his mind, his soul, through his drawings.

While he can’t speak to me or understand my words, he can communicate in ways that are unique to him. It started with simple shapes and lines, but slowly, his drawings became these incredible creations—his way of showing the world the things that live in his imagination.

His drawings are full of animals, dinosaurs, and scenes from nature, things that seem to make sense to him even if they feel distant to others. His dinosaurs are often playful, gentle giants surrounded by trees and birds, and the animals are always peaceful, as though in his world, there is no need for conflict.

I often find him sitting quietly with his sketchpad, completely immersed in his art. Watching him draw is like watching him enter a world that no one else can visit. It's the only time I see a flicker of something close to joy in his eyes. His drawings are his voice. They are how he tells us what he loves—how he tells us about the world as he sees it.

Leon also loves animals in real life. He may not care for people much, but when we take him to the zoo or watching a cat video on youtube, something changes in him. He has this quiet fascination, a kind of peacefulness around animals that’s hard to describe. It’s the same when we’re in nature. The moment we step into a green or by a forest, he becomes still, like he’s at home in a way he never seems to be indoors.

It’s in these moments—when he’s drawing, with animals, or surrounded by trees and birds—that I see the beauty of his world. He may never speak to me or understand my words, but through his art, I feel like I get a glimpse of what he sees. His world is full of life and wonder, even if it looks different from mine.

I’ve come to realize that loving Leon means loving his world, even if it’s one I can’t fully understand. His drawings are my bridge to him, and through them, I know that, in his own way, he’s sharing his heart with me. And that’s more than enough.

i want to support and celebrate Leon’s passions! Creating a website to sell his artwork not only helps him share his creativity with others but also teaches him the value of earning and saving. It's wonderful that he lights up when people appreciate his art—it's like he has found a way to connect with the world in a meaningful way.

I love the idea of having a goal for him to save money for travel, especially since he loves Greece so much. His excitement for Greek mythology must make every visit feel like an adventure for him. Walking 20k steps around Athens, exploring all the mythology-related sites—that’s a testament to his enthusiasm and curiosity. Even though you were exhausted, seeing him so engaged must have made it all worth it!

He has a long list of names of the countries he wants to go and I would like to achieve that with him.