When David popped the question! Written by David Palmer
My name is David Palmer, Assistant Community Relations at Autism SA and number one Autism Ambassador. You would have noticed in previous Autisers regarding Good News Stories from parents whose children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder achieved a goal in life. I have now come up with a good news story of my own.
Making friends and developing loving relationships is a part of life, but when you have Asperger Syndrome or any other form of disability, it can be a disadvantage. I was good at making friends, but I wasn’t good at developing relationships. But one person changed all that.
I met Kate when I was introduced to Triple A in 2006. I got to know her during Triple A and could relate to her as she has High Functioning Autism. One night at Triple A, I was surprised when Kate told me that she bowls at Bowland Ingle Farm in the Red Devils Tuesday league, the same bowling centre where I bowled socially. She alternated between bowling and attending the young women’s group, so when she was bowling, I met up with Kate and watched her bowl, even giving her a few tips along the way.
I decided to join the Red Devils Tuesday league in 2007 where my bowling partner and I won the first season. I opted to sit out of the second season to watch Kate bowl as I was saving up for a trip to the Northern Territory. When Triple A got the opportunity to perform at the National Autism Conference on the Gold Coast, Kate and I became travel companions, meeting up each morning for breakfast and going to places on the Gold Coast, such as the Pacific Fair Shopping Centre and the theme parks.
It was in January 2008 when we started going out together. Kate was feeling down when her boyfriend broke up with her and I decided to take her out for lunch on Australia Day and stayed at her place to watch DVDs. I then took her out to the movies and it was at this time that we started dating.
We were going out for about eight and a half months when we went with Triple A to the Awakenings Festival in Horsham after Triple A received an invitation to the Festival. At that time, I went up to Horsham with a girlfriend, but on the way back to Adelaide, it was something different.
Kate and I went with most of the members of Triple A to the Festival Ball, a 15 minute walk from Ploughman’s Motor Inn where we were staying. We got back at about 12:30am Sunday 26 October. I was in Kate’s motel room and Kate was half tired when I saw the ring she was wearing on her third finger on her right hand, and it was at that time that I popped the question, saying to her that I was going to get her a ring to place on her third finger on her left hand. She said to me, “You’re kidding.” Kate knew that I was going to get her a ring, but she thought that I was going to get her a ring for Christmas. She never thought that the ring I was going to get her was an engagement ring. She said yes.
Kate and I returned to Adelaide as an engaged couple and we broke the good news to our families when we got back. We had our engagement party in November 2008 and are set to tie the knot in October this year.
As an Autism Ambassador, I have been sharing stories about my experiences with Asperger Syndrome and how I overcame the challenges, but after falling in love and getting engaged to Kate, I now have a good news story to share. It goes to prove that people with an Autism Spectrum Disorder can still develop loving relationships. As I always say, never let Autism or Asperger Syndrome get in the way of your goals or your life.