Cookeville boy raises money for autism research

A Cookeville toddler, who is dealing with autism, is also taking steps, literally, to help fund research in the subject.

Three-year-old Owen Preston will be recognized at an awards banquet in Nashville this weekend for being the fourth highest single donor during the Autism Speaks Walk, held in Nashville in October.

"We walked all around Centennial Park. He loved it," said Owen's mom, Danielle.

In the process, Owen raised $1,720 for autism research and community education.

"He ended up getting three pins on his shirt for meeting his goals," Danielle said. "We first set our goal at $150, but it kept growing because we had friends and family make donations, so we set our last goal at $1,600 and ended up collecting even more than that."

Danielle said Owen received the autism diagnosis last year.

"He was showing that he wasn't communicating and we first thought he was deaf, but the tests came back that he could hear us completely fine," Danielle said. "We ended up going to the Weisskopf Center in Louisville, Kentucky, and they diagnosed him."

Danielle said the Prestons moved from Kentucky to Cookeville in pursuit of job opportunities and found the community very welcoming.

"We found that the school system here is amazing for kids with autism," she said. "They have all the latest research. Owen is a preschooler at Cane Creek Elementary, and he benefits from the autism inclusion classroom. He's got typical peers and atypical peers just like him. It's a great program."

She said the program includes occupational, physical and speech therapy with the goal of improving day by day.

"We don't know what we're going to see in five years or ten years, but we know where we want to be so we work toward those goals," she said.

And Danielle said Owen's fundraising days are not over yet.

"He is looking forward to this year's fundraising during Autism Awareness Month in April and is proud to be representing the Upper Cumberland."