Community backs mother, non-verbal 3-year-old using blue pumpkin pail for trick-or-treating

She says last year was the first Halloween that he went trick-or-treating with an official diagnosis. In the Facebook post, she explains that Luke is nonverbal and could not say trick-or-treat in order to get his candy.

News 12 Staff

Oct 18, 2019, 2:31 AM

Updated 1,876 days ago

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With over 5,000 comments and 132,000 shares, Omairis Taylor never expected her Facebook post about a blue pumpkin pail to attract so much attention.
"I made it for my community, and they asked to share it, and I was like 'Oh okay it's going to go around a little bit," says Taylor.
Taylor's 3-year-old son Luke has autism. She says last year was the first Halloween that he went trick-or-treating with an official diagnosis. In the Facebook post, she explains that Luke is nonverbal and could not say trick-or-treat in order to get his candy.
"They were waiting for him and he was just like, you know, like feeling that stare," says Taylor. "And it became me doing the trick-or-treating and him feeling, like, left out."
After seeing the idea on Facebook herself, she decided this year, she would have Luke use a blue pumpkin pail to show those answering the door that he has autism.
Suzanne Buchanan, executive director of Autism New Jersey, says the response to the post sends a powerful message to all families of kids and adults with autism.
"Communities want to embrace you and want to make your life a little bit easier and a little bit friendlier," says Buchanan.
With the community behind them and Luke's blue pumpkin pail in hand, Taylor says they're ready for this Halloween.