Anti-bullying activist Jesse Saperstein to jump from plane in Gardiner
The Autism News | English
GARDINER — What do skydiving and bullying prevention have in common?
Jesse Saperstein, a 29-year-old anti-bullying activist, will jump 13,500 feet from an airplane today in a bid to raise awareness about Asperger’s syndrome and the ill effects of bullying.
“So many kids are suffering,” said Saperstein, who was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome at age 16.
The jump is to take place at 10 a.m. at Skydive the Ranch on Sandhill Road. It is Saperstein’s first time jumping from an airplane.
“I’m just a tiny bit scared,” Saperstein said Monday.
The event is sponsored by the Anderson Foundation for Autism, which awarded Saperstein a $2,500 grant to spearhead the effort in June.
“The message is anti-bullying,” said Neil Pollack, executive director and CEO of the Anderson Center for Autism. “The project is about trying to raise awareness and funds to come up with new ways for people with Asperger’s syndrome to lead productive lives.”
People with Asperger’s syndrome, Pollack said, are “extremely vulnerable” to bullying.
“Asperger’s is a mild form of autism,” he said.
Pollack said symptoms of the syndrome include an inability to make eye contact, inappropriate responses and aggressive reactions, among other behaviors.
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