LelandLeeisaninternationallyrenownedartistwhohasheldexhibitionsinmorethanadozencountriesinEurope,AsiaandNorthAmerica,includingRussiaandtheVatican.Diagnosedwithsevereautismat18months,hestruggledwithverbalcommunication.Hence,paintingbecameanimportantchannelforexpressionandcommunicationwiththeoutsideworld.Leland’sparentsfocusedtheirparentingeffortsonLeland’sabilitiesinsteadofdisabilities.Lelandislikea“friendshipambassador”forautism,attendingconferencesaroundtheworldtosharehislifeexperience,showtheprogresshehasmadeandexhibithisart.Hebringstogethergovernment,medicalscienceandeducatorstoworkinacommongoal:fortheworldtobeafriendlierplacetochildrenonthespectrumofautismandtohelpprovidemoresupportforparents.Karen’sdedicationandunconditionallove,alongwithLeland’sloveforlifeandzestforlearning,plusmotherandson’sunwaveringdesiretoimprove,havetransformedLelandintoayoungmanwhospeakstwolanguages,playsguitarandswimscompetitively,winningtheGoldandSilvermedalsinthe2006SpecialOlympics.LelandiscurrentlyundertrainingintheSynchronizedSwimmingAssociationofTaiwanprogramrunbyCoachJuliaStartch.
Thismemoiristhehumorousanddramaticstoryofadynamicduo:acourageousanddedicatedmother;herremarkableson,anartistontheautismspectrum;andtheirheart-wrenchingjourneytohelpLelandgetridofthe“severe”labelinthehopesofmovingforward,littlebylittle,to“normalcy.”“LoveintheMoment“istheinspiringstoryaboutwhatitmeanstoliveafulfillinglifeofcreativityandlove—frommomenttomoment.
IllustratedwithLeland’sfull-colorpaintings.
