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A Brother’s View: Love, Guardianship, and Growing Up In a Home with an Autistic Sister

In this special Careversation, host Beverly Nance sits down with her son, Troy, co-guardian, sibling, and lifelong advocate for his sister with profound autism. Together, they open up about growing up in a household shaped by caregiving, the quiet burdens siblings often carry, and the deep bond that forms through shared responsibility and love. This heartfelt episode explores the sibling perspective rarely heard—and never forgotten.

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In this emotional installment of The Spectrum, we follow Karen Sadler as the weight of unrelenting caregiving catches up to her, physically, mentally, and emotionally. When she collapses in her kitchen from exhaustion, it becomes clear that caregiving without rest is not sustainable. This episode explores the hidden toll of caregiver burnout, the shame that keeps so many suffering in silence, and why planning for respite isn’t a luxury—it’s a lifeline.

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This episode examines what happens when school ends—but life doesn’t. As young adults with autism age out of the educational system, families are left navigating a world without structure, support, or clear next steps. We follow the Sadler and Martin families as they face the harsh realities of transition—shrinking opportunities, long waiting lists, and aging parents with dwindling energy. But amid the uncertainty, we also highlight moments of resilience, community, and hope.

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In Episode 4 of The Spectrum, we explore the often-unspoken reality of violence involving individuals with autism, from homes and hospitals to schools and group homes. Through the lens of the Sadler and Martin families, this powerful episode sheds light on the emotional and systemic toll of caregiver burnout, institutional neglect, and media silence. But in the midst of the pain, a movement begins. This is a story of truth-telling, advocacy, and the first steps toward lasting change

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Episode 3: “The Camera Doesn’t See Us”
Why do media stories about autism so often focus on the feel-good, high-functioning side—and ignore the harder, messier truth? In this episode, we follow two families on opposite ends of the spectrum as they confront what it means to be celebrated, erased, and left out of the narrative altogether. Because when only certain stories are told, entire lives are silenced.

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In this episode, we shift the focus to the siblings—Riley and Maya—who grew up in the shadow of their brothers’ autism diagnoses. Through quiet sacrifices, hidden resentment, and fierce love, we explore how being “the other child” shaped their identities, their dreams, and their place in a home where crisis often took center stage.

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Episode 1: “Same Street, Different World”
Two families. One neighborhood. Both raise sons diagnosed with autism in 1996—but their journeys unfold in drastically different ways. In this opening episode of The Spectrum, we explore the early signs, emotional toll, and quiet sacrifices of parenting children on opposite ends of the autism spectrum—and the societal forces that embrace one story while overlooking the other.

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