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James Piccarreto took his first swig of a Budweiser and let out a “Whoo!”
It was the first beer for Piccarreto, now 21, who proudly proclaimed “This Bud’s for everybody.”
Piccarreto was diagnosed with autism as a toddler, and he’s come a long way in what he’s learned. His mom Carla said her son takes things literally — so being legal at 21 meant no alcohol before then, just like how he waited to see PG-13 movies until he was 13.
Carla said she proud to see her son at a point where he’s advocating for himself, especially since he was diagnosed at a time when there was not as many support services as is now. Together, they helped Piccarreto find his voice and independence.
“One of our things has always been to find teachable moments, but also to celebrate everything,” Carla said. “You don’t take a lot for granted.”
Piccarreto, of Greece, was surprised to find family and friends gathered at the Calfornia Brew Haus on West Ridge Road on Dec. 10. He ended up saving the bottle from his beer that night.
“I had a really good birthday, I finished the Budweiser and the next day I had half a glass of wine,” he said. “I’m going to take it easy.”
Also a surprise was a box full of NASCAR memorabilia and autographs, including a hat from his hero Jeff Gordon. The gifts were collected by MRN Studio, which hosts live radio broadcasts of NASCAR events and call-in shows. They know Piccarreto well — he’s “James from New York” and no one can seem to stump him when it comes to stats and trivia.
You could call Piccarreto a NASCAR historian — he can recount the details of races from when he was two years old, like the turning point 1992 Hooters 500 race that’s considered one of the greatest races of all time. He knows the names and records of great drivers of another era like Richard Petty and Alan Kulwicki, and he’ll turn out to races at least once a year.
Carla says her son’s love of NASCAR helped him learn at a young age, like using laps as a way to learn math skills.
Chris Schenk was in high school when he started working with Piccarreto — today, he runs music education studios for children with disabilities. Piccarreto has grown by leaps and bounds, as he was barely talking at age 5, Schenk said. Today, they’re still good friends.
James Piccarreto took his first swig of a Budweiser and let out a “Whoo!”
It was the first beer for Piccarreto, now 21, who proudly proclaimed “This Bud’s for everybody.”
Piccarreto was diagnosed with autism as a toddler, and he’s come a long way in what he’s learned. His mom Carla said her son takes things literally — so being legal at 21 meant no alcohol before then, just like how he waited to see PG-13 movies until he was 13.
Carla said she proud to see her son at a point where he’s advocating for himself, especially since he was diagnosed at a time when there was not as many support services as is now. Together, they helped Piccarreto find his voice and independence.
“One of our things has always been to find teachable moments, but also to celebrate everything,” Carla said. “You don’t take a lot for granted.”
Piccarreto, of Greece, was surprised to find family and friends gathered at the Calfornia Brew Haus on West Ridge Road on Dec. 10. He ended up saving the bottle from his beer that night.
“I had a really good birthday, I finished the Budweiser and the next day I had half a glass of wine,” he said. “I’m going to take it easy.”
Also a surprise was a box full of NASCAR memorabilia and autographs, including a hat from his hero Jeff Gordon. The gifts were collected by MRN Studio, which hosts live radio broadcasts of NASCAR events and call-in shows. They know Piccarreto well — he’s “James from New York” and no one can seem to stump him when it comes to stats and trivia.
You could call Piccarreto a NASCAR historian — he can recount the details of races from when he was two years old, like the turning point 1992 Hooters 500 race that’s considered one of the greatest races of all time. He knows the names and records of great drivers of another era like Richard Petty and Alan Kulwicki, and he’ll turn out to races at least once a year.
Carla says her son’s love of NASCAR helped him learn at a young age, like using laps as a way to learn math skills.
Chris Schenk was in high school when he started working with Piccarreto — today, he runs music education studios for children with disabilities. Piccarreto has grown by leaps and bounds, as he was barely talking at age 5, Schenk said. Today, they’re still good friends.
Schenk says those with autism can face new challenges as they grow older.
“It can create a whole new set of anxiety issues,” he said. “They’re gaining independence that they didn’t have at home or in school and you’re in transition. Independent assistance is available to people out the school system but it’s not necessarily as easy to come by.”
Derek Bruins is an aide who works with Piccarreto on a nearly daily basis. While those with autism often have services in school to help them with social skills, the focus is different post-high school.
“Some of it is just maturing from a teen to a man, figuring out what you want to do and having a peer group like everybody else,” he says.
Now that 21 is behind him, what’s the next big milestone for Piccarreto?
“I’ll be able to go to a race and order a beer,” he said.
