My sister, Barby

On February 11 my brother, George, called me with the news that our sister, Barby, had passed away suddenly at the group home she lived in in Silver Springs, Maryland. It was indeed a shock; in fact, I had just finalized arrangements to go to visit her. Instead that trip became a remembrance shared with CSAAC employees  – Community Services for Autistic Adults and Children, the fine organization that provided housing, care, activities and support for her from 1985 until her death.

As someone diagnosed very early with the disease, she provided an opportunity for study which was not lost on my brilliant brother and the family has donated her brain to UC Davis. We will miss our visits to the DC area several times a year to see her, her caregivers, and our dear friends there, Doug Bellis and Suzanne English.  An interesting side note is that PBS is doing a series on the human brain, narrated by David Eagleman, author of the very interesting book Incognito, and they are planning a short segment about Barby on the program, scheduled to air sometime in April of 2015.

Barby was a fascinating character and I learned so much about her condition and about human nature as people would react to her. We all miss her very much.