Viraj Dhanda, a nonspeaking Massachusetts teen with autism, spent the first 14 years of his life trying to learn the basics, until his father suddenly unlocked his brilliance with the help of Viraj's right thumb. Now, he's headed to MIT, one of the most prestigious universities in the world. Steve Hartman has his extraordinary story.

Brookline

Viraj Dhanda, a 19-year-old from Brookline, Massachusetts, spent much of his childhood unable to communicate due to autism and apraxia, a neurological disorder affecting movement. His father, Sumit Dhanda, raised him alone and worked for years to teach him basic skills, initially with little visible progress. 

The breakthrough came when Sumit discovered Viraj could type using his right thumb, unlocking his ability to communicate. Viraj quickly advanced academically, mastering subjects from basic math to calculus and scoring highly on the ACT. His achievements culminated in his acceptance to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), which he described as a victory not just for himself but for the broader non-speaking autistic community.

How a father's persistence unlocked his son's brilliance

Like most people with autism, 19-year-old Viraj Dhanda of Brookline, Massachusetts came into this world disguised as a typical baby, until about a year and a half. There were a lot of milestones he was missing. His dad, Sumit Dhanda. First the gap is just a little, then it's bigger, then it's like a chasm. And now you're starting to hear from the doctors, well, he's going to need care for the rest of his life, he's never going to be able to communicate. And you believed all that? I had to. Nothing would suggest it was going to be otherwise. Sumit, a single dad who raised his son alone, spent Viraj's first 14 years trying to teach him his numbers, ABCs, basic stuff. And nothing seemed to stick. At least, not that he could tell. Because Viraj also has apraxia, a neurological disorder. That's why Viraj can't speak, or control his fingers enough to type. With the exception of his right thumb. His dad figured out he could type with that. And once Viraj had a way to communicate, boy, did he communicate. What was it like having everyone think you were mentally disabled all those years? He typed his answers, unassisted. Frustrating. And I desperately wanted the world to know that I had a fully functional brain. Actually, it's well beyond fully functional. In less than three years, Viraj went from basic math to calculus. I'm pretty sure it's right. Scored 35 out of 36 on his ACT, and just got accepted to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, one of the most prestigious universities in the world. What was it like when you found out you got accepted into MIT? I was ecstatic. Getting into MIT didn't just feel like a personal victory for me, but a breakthrough for the entire non-speaking autistic community. Do you think there are other kids like you out there? Really bright, but no one knows it? Absolutely. I'm not that special. I just have the tools and the support needed to demonstrate my intelligence. People on the autism spectrum are sometimes called special. But in many cases, we still don't know just how special they are. Steve Hartman, On the Road, in Brookline, Massachusetts.

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