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system to work with him weekly. He became more
at ease with the other four-year olds and liked his
teacher. Nap time, or rest time continued to be his
least favorite hour of the day. All in all, our hats
are off to his teacher “Miss Amy” for her very acute
judgment. The early detection of autism is essential
to create the path for growth toward a productive life.
In his position as head coach for the Liberty High
School’s basketball team, Mark had begun to see an
improvement in the team’s performance. Keaton and
his mother attended every home game. He developed
a real attachment for sports, especially basketball;
which is still evident today. When the Liberty High
School basketball team won a state championship,
Mark held Keaton in his arms as he cut down the
net. This was a great event to witness. The state
championship victories were high times for Keaton,
for the family, and for the community of Bedford.
During the second half of Keaton’s pre-school, a very
important event occurred: his brother was born. He
was named Gavin Christian Hanks, and was to have
a strong impact on Keaton’s life. The Mark Hanks’
family was complete!
Note:
The Towns and Cities identified in this story
are located in the State of Virginia, unless marked
otherwise.