Hank is 12 years old. A handsome boy with a beautiful smile, he loves to watch Disney movies. When he hears any song, he can sing it from beginning to end, even if it’s in a different language. Particularly fond of a Korean band, he can repeat every word in English—and then sing that same song in Korean.
“But Hank doesn’t understand the meaning behind the words,” his father says, “because he is autistic.”
At 3 years old, Hank was diagnosed with nonverbal autism. His father, Aaron Mangum, soon became an expert in what he calls "Google and hope"—looking for answers and hoping for the best.
“Often, people equate ‘special needs’ with low intelligence,” Aaron adds. “Autistic people have difficulty communicating their needs. Early signs include delayed language along with intense emotional meltdowns and extreme sensitivity to outward stimuli.”
In April 2023, Aaron teamed up with Joanna Santo, an assistant school principal who is the mother of two adult autistic sons. They formed Hank's Friends, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to providing a centralized hub where people can quickly access resources, solutions, and references.
“We realized how badly a foundation like ours was needed,” Aaron says. “Parents don’t know what’s available. Because there’s a terrible lack of funding when it comes to special needs, the government can only provide services for a limited number of people. The result is waiting lists that are 17 to 28 years long. Even finding out about those agencies can be difficult.”
One of the biggest challenges Aaron sees for families with special needs members is isolation.
Aaron is in the process of transforming his home into a haven where caretakers can relax and children with special needs can learn everyday skills, thanks to donations.
For more information, visit www.HanksFriends.org.
Aaron Mangum points out that the parent of an autistic or special-needs child is often like Sherlock Holmes, using the “guess and test” method—finding and trying out anything that works when it comes to raising their children. “That navigation is tough,” he says.
“It takes an average of $300,000 to raise a typical child from birth to adulthood in today’s economy,” he adds. “For a special-needs child, the cost is $2.8 million.”
Currently, there are 800,000 children in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex who have been diagnosed with special needs.
Aaron’s goal is to gain the support of various corporations and businesses, hoping they will work together for “Hank’s Friends” to help parents of special-needs children.