Hey Charlie Hat - Adult

About Hey Charlie:

Even before our beautiful son arrived, we knew he would be special. But we could never have imagined just how special.

Our son was born with a congenital heart defect that required surgery shortly after birth. After his open-heart surgery, he suffered a seizure and was soon diagnosed with epilepsy. He experienced global developmental delays, rarely hit typical milestones, and spoke only a few words. At age 3, he was diagnosed with autism.

We thought we understood autism, but quickly realized there was so much more to learn. The impact of an autism diagnosis extends beyond the child. It affects the whole family. It’s navigating a world full of misunderstanding, unsolicited opinions, and strangers who think your child is misbehaving.

We knew then that we had to become advocates. Advocates for education, for awareness, and for acceptance. Autism is different for everyone, and each person’s unique way of seeing the world deserves to be honored.

So how do we honor that? Through one of the most powerful tools we all share: artistic expression.

Hey Charlie was born during one of our many hospital visits. Our son was coloring and out of that moment came a simple, imperfect smiley face, which is now our logo. That smiley face isn’t perfect, and that’s exactly the point. It reflects the truth that life and people don’t need to be perfect to be beautiful.

It’s a reminder to lift others up when they need it, to smile at strangers, and to embrace those who seem different.

With Hey Charlie, we aim to spread awareness about autism and remind the world that we all matter. Our son drew this smiley face with love, and now that love will be shared with everyone.

Big love,
The Connery Family