TJ Thompson found friendship through Pixar characters when real connections seemed impossible. "My friends had names like Nemo, Buzz, and Lightning," he shares. At 18, communication access through REV transformed everything. Now closer to pursuing his animation dreams at Pixar, TJ proves that with proper support, nonspeaking autistic students can achieve their goals and form meaningful relationships beyond the screen.

I always believed the limitations my school put on me. They were the experts. I didn’t know to question their judgement.