EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — As Autism Awareness Month concludes, KFOX14 Morning News Anchor Salina Madrid and Owner of Playtime Pre-school Athena Nevarez, co-founders of the autism support group “Beyond the Diagnosis,” reflect on their journey and the impact of their work.
Salina, a mother of two, including her 5-year-old son Zayden who has autism, said, “The day that I got his autism diagnosis, I made a silent promise to him that I would do everything in my power to be able to support him, to uplift him, and just to make sure he knew that he was celebrated and he was loved.”
Athena, who also has a 6-year-old son with autism, AJ, shared her perspective on raising a child on the spectrum. “Once you have a loved one that’s on the spectrum, you see the whole world differently; it really opens up this door of immense empathy,” she said.
The two mothers met at a Hearts for Autism Gala in Las Cruces about a year ago and quickly bonded over shared experiences. “We really connected over a lot of the experiences that we shared,” Athena said. Salina added, “I think we both met at a time where both of us felt like we were needing a sense of belonging.”
“Beyond the Diagnosis” was created to honor their sons and support families navigating similar journeys. Since its inception, the group has hosted numerous events, including a Trunk or Treat, a sip and paint, a family dance party, a venting session for autism parents, an open gym at Gym Magic and a Winter Ball…