Autistic Artist Proves Doctor Wrong About Love

When three-year-old Tim Sharp was diagnosed with autism in 1991, a specialist told his mother Judy something devastating. Her son would never speak, never work, and would be "unfeeling and incapable of love."

Walking to the car after that appointment, Judy broke down crying. That's when Tim, still in her arms, gently patted her back and wiped away her tears.

"I wanted to march back in there and say, 'You tell me that boy doesn't love me,'" Judy remembers. "This was perfect love."

She was right. At five years old, Tim started drawing to communicate with his mother. The house became covered in pens and papers as Tim discovered his natural talent for art.

Then at 11, Tim created Laser Beak Man, a superhero with his own unique personality and sense of humor. What started as drawings became a global phenomenon, taking Tim and Judy to New York, London, and the Sydney Opera House with theater shows, TV appearances, and movies.

"Drawing makes me happy and I relax doing it," Tim says. "I can use my big imagination."

Today, Tim frequently tells his mother he loves her. After spending days together, he'll say, "I've had a really good day with you, Mum. We're a great team."

Sunny's Take

Tim's definition of love is simple and profound: "Love is everything. I feel it in everything. You can see it and hear it. It makes life better and happy."

Judy says being with Tim is easy because he's patient and kind. She loves how he thinks differently and naturally connects with people in his own authentic way.

"The best thing you can do in life is just follow Tim's example," Judy says. "Be brave, be yourself, and show the world who you really are."

That doctor couldn't have been more wrong about Tim's capacity for love.