When Andrew Edwards was four years old, doctors told his mum that he would most likely be institutionalised. It was 1989 and autism was not well understood or accepted.
Suffering years of bullying at school at the hands of children and teachers, Andrew relied on family support to get him through his childhood and adolescence. His mother, Hazel Davies, was determined to prove doctors wrong and help Andrew live a happy and successful life.
Andrew's mother tirelessly campaigned and advocated for her son, helping him become the successful man he is today. Now after his mother's passing, Andrew reflects on her impact on his life and honours her with a mammoth walk in her memory.
Read more: 'I have autism and this is how my mind works'.
Andrew, 37, said: "At the age of four in April 1989, I was diagnosed with autism. “Go home and watch Rain Man,” the specialist told my mother. “In all probability your son will be institutionalised.”"
But Andrew's mum was determined to prove those specialists wrong. As a single mother, she worked tirelessly as an advocate and carer for her son.
Andrew struggled through his early years of schooling, with bullying from staff and children, and even allegedly being tied up and beaten by teaching staff. But his mum was determined to help him find somewhere accepting.
Andrew eventually secured a place at St Christopher's School in Wrexham. St Christopher's is a special school for pupils with a range of special educational needs.
He said: "Because of the determination of my mum and my family, I succeeded despite the difficulties. My mum had to fight everything. She had to put her case across to professionals.
"In one instance, she broke into the office of the director of education at Wrexham County Borough Council in the late nineties to get me an education at St Christopher's. Because they were not willing to provide resources for a support worker that I required.
"She was able to convince him to change his mind and that's how I got a place at St Christopher's. She was determined to prove the specialists wrong. She helped me talk by getting me to regurgitate names of cars and manufacturers. I could not talk before that."
After leaving school with four GCSEs - the only person in his school to achieve this at the time - Andrew secured a job at Manchester United TV. But he says he wouldn't have got this job without his mum.
He said: "She called them up and secured me one day of work experience. And that lasted 11 and a half years."
Wrexham-born Andrew is now a published author of two books and a public speaker. He has more than outstripped the expectations placed on him by specialists all those years ago.
When Hazel passed away suddenly at the age of 77 in December 2020, Andrew was devastated. The family could not visit her in hospital due to Covid restrictions, which was difficult to accept.
Andrew said: "My sister had always said that she would be next to my mum in her hospital bed when she died. We always knew I wouldn't be there because my autism would make that difficult. But my sister did not even have the chance to be there with my mum."
Now he is taking on an enormous walking challenge along with his sister Melanie. They will undertake the 67-mile Pan North Wales walk to raise money for North Wales charity Your Space. The siblings hope to raise enough money through this challenge to fund "The Hazel Davies Autism Sensory Garden" in memory of their mum. You can read more about the challenge and donate here.
Andrew said: "It would be quite poignant and a wonderful lasting legacy. It would be a tribute and memorial to a wonderful, caring, kind fighter, and someone who put her family above everyone else."
