Donald Gray Triplett

 

Donald Gray Triplett, the First Person diagnosed with Autism has died. He was 89 years old.

He was born on September 8, 1933 in Forrest, Mississippi.

Donald was a deeply introverted child who did not respond to his Parents' gestures or voices. His language was unusual, he did not play with other children, and he seemed distant from others, but he was interested in number patterns, music notes, letters of the Alphabet, and pictures of U.S. Presidents.

At the recommendation of his Doctors he was institutionalized when he was 3 years old, but his Parents pulled him out one year later.

In October 1938 the Tripletts visited the Harriet Lane Home (now the Johns Hopkins Children's Center) in Baltimore, Maryland and after several visits meeting with the Doctors, including Leo Kanner, he was eventually diagnosed with Autism – the first person ever.

He was given some ways to help him deal with his social interactions and returned home to Mississippi and he even went to the Local Public School.

In 1958 he graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in French from Millsaps College in Mississippi.

He then worked for the next 65 years at a Bank in his Hometown.

He died of Cancer at his Forest home on June 15, 2023.

Not only was he the First Person ever to be diagnosed with Autism, but he was also the Longest-Living Person known to have Autism.

A Book and PBS Documentary titled “In a Different Key” tells his story.