a teenager holding a vacuum hose to his face

For autistic youths entering adulthood, a new world of challenges awaits

Finding work, love, and independence can be especially difficult for those on the spectrum.

Luke Zenda, 19, caresses his cheek with a vacuum nozzle at Rising Tide Car Wash in Margate, Florida. Tom D’Eri started the business with his father to employ his brother and other autistic people. Family-run businesses that help autistic adults find work are increasingly common.
This story appears in the May 2020 issue of National Geographic magazine.
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