The book Hostage to Silence is almost 18 years in the making.
For the first thirteen years of his life, Brady Wright communicated with his family and teachers through a mix of sign language, pictures, and an app called Proloquo. Due to a neuromotor disorder called apraxia, it is very difficult for Brady to speak. What happens is the neurons in his brain can’t communicate properly with the muscles in his mouth.
Eventually, thanks to the persistence of his medical team and the help of amazing counselors, Brady began to practice through Facilitated Communication (FC). With FC, Brady found his voice. Also referred to as supported typing, FC is a method of alternative communication for people whose verbal communication is severely impaired.
Brady’s dream was to turn his writing into a book of poems, conversations, and narratives, all of which you will find in Hostage to Silence. Brady wants to educate people about autism and advocate for those that do have autism. He has partnered with his friend, Gentry Groshell, the artist who created the illustrations for the poems in this book.