7 Most Famous People with Autism

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), commonly known as autism, refers to a broad range of serious developmental disorders that impairs the ability to communicate and interact socially. It impacts the nervous system due to which overall cognitive, emotional, social and physical health is affected. Common symptoms for the disorder include difficulty with communication and social interaction, obsessive interests and repetitive behaviors.

Despite all the challenges thrown by the disorder and social perception associated with it, several people excelled in various fields. Here we are sharing a list of such notable persons who have gained prominence despite being affected by autism.

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1. Lewis Carroll

The author of many children’s books including the world-famous Alice in the Wonderland, Lewis Carroll, lived with autism. The disorder affected his speech due to which he stammered while talking in social groups. He was also deaf in one ear. But, his disabilities didn’t stop him from excelling as a renowned writer and a storyteller.

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2. Dan Aykord

Dan Aykord is a Canadian actor, producer, comedian, musician and a film-maker who has been diagnosed with Asperger syndrome, one of the disorders included in the autism spectrum. One of Aykord’s prominent symptoms is the obsession with ghosts and law enforcement. He credits his obsession as a catalyst for character development for Ghostbusters, one of his most famous projects.

3. John Elder Robinson

He is a bestselling author whose childhood was made very difficult by autism. He was always punished for ‘misbehavior’ and ‘laziness’ and no one understood why he was different. His diagnosis as an autistic person was done in his adulthood and his life’s greatest mystery was solved. Robinson has written his experience with the disorder in his bestselling book Look me into the Eyes.

4. Dr. Vernon Smith

A professor of economics who won a Nobel Prize in 2002 for his achievements in the field of experimental economics, Dr. Vernon Smith is an autistic person. He is vocal about his condition and credits it for his successes in life. He believes that due to his autistic condition, he doesn’t feel the social pressure for doing anything in a certain way. This helps him in looking at and working for any problem in his own unique way.

5. Satoshi Tajiri

Have you heard this name? Perhaps not! Have you heard the name of Pokémon? Of course! Satoshi Tajiri is the brain behind the creation and development of Pokémon and many other games. And, yes he is an autistic person who as a child was obsessed with collecting insects (the inspiration for the development of Pokémon). He cleared his high school diploma with lots of difficulties and never attended a university. Nevertheless, he is the founder and president of video game developer Game Freak.

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6. Dr. Temple Grandin

She has been called the most accomplished and well-known adult with autism. Dr. Grandin was named by Times Magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world, in 2010. This professor of Animal Sciences is known to be a prolific speaker, bestselling writer and an advocate for autism awareness. Her book Emergence: Labelled Autistic is considered as the first real insight into the thought and life of someone with autism.

7. Tony DeBlois

He is a prolific musician who has not only been diagnosed with autism but is also blind by birth. Despite his conditions, he has mastered more than 20 musical instruments and can play more than 8,000 pieces of music from his memory alone.

This list of notable people with autism is only an indicative list. There are lots of other names that can be put on the list. Some of the great names like Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Emily Dickinson, Albert Einstein, Marie Curie, etc. have been retroactively diagnosed to be on the autism spectrum.