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Gateway Writes Showcase | Igor Reyes

Gateway artist Igor Reyes explains the impact the documentary film “Life Animated” had on him as an individual with Autism, as he related to Owen and their mutual love of cartoons. In his own words Igor shares his lived experiences with communication, reality, and relationships in the world as a son, artist, and individual with Autism.

My name is Igor Reyes.

I’m 23 years old I have autism and I’m a fan of anime and cartoons.

When I saw the movie Life Animated I felt so good and I had a connection with the movie.  It was about a young man who has autism and is a fan of Disney just like me.  He also had struggles like me. He and I were both bullied and picked on. We both had different supports. Owen’s dad used an Iago puppet to speak to Owen and my mom used a Scooby Doo stuffed toy.

When I was younger I didn’t speak much so my mom used stuffed toys to speak to me. I remember her saying good night in her Scooby Doo voice and I also remember her rubbing the stuffed animal’s nose.

I feel like cartoons ease the pain of my everyday life and I sometimes wanna get away from reality. Society tends to think as you get older you become too old for cartoons.  I honestly think that’s a stupid rule. I find cartoons to be more entertaining and enjoyable than reality TV, because reality TV is usually just people yelling at each other over the stupidest things. For example, shoes, money, fame, and partners, full of backstabbing, betrayal, cheating and lies. Cartoons have good morals in them. I find cartoons to be therapeutic.

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