Friendship grows to brotherly bond

There are many kinds of friendships in the world. There are the good friends, the best friends and the friends you could consider family.

At Skyline School there are two young men whose friendship has shown others what real friendship and compassion is. Junior Sam Howell and eighth grader Austin Timm began to interact with each other when Austin started kindergarten. Since then their friendship has grown to a close brotherly bond.

When Austin came to Skyline he had multiple disabilities, including talking and walking. Howell was a third grader at the time and was aware Austin had disabilities, but all he saw was just a normal everyday kid. Every time he got a chance, he would go up to Austin and talk to him and interact with him.

Doctors predicted that Austin would never be able to walk. Skyline para-educators Alma Carrasco, Reesa Gilleece and Heather Smith were determined to teach him to walk despite the odds. When Austin was in fourth grade all the hard work he, his family and the teachers put in, paid off.  He took his first steps at school.

“We were in their classroom and we had the door opened and something caught his eye so he got up and started to walk out of the room with us following closely behind him,” Gilleece said. “At the time there were high school students in the hallway and they all stopped in place to watch him walk for the first time. Once Austin stopped they started to clap in amazement.”

A year later, after he started to walk, they began to teach him how to ride a bike. The special education co-op purchased Austin a bike and the T-Bird Club purchased him a special seat for the bike. Walt Stockwell, the head of maintenance, put the bike together to fit Austin’s needs.

“It only took us three months to teach him how to ride the bike,” Gilleece said.

When Howell saw Austin walk he said he got very exited, because that is when he could see Austin’s personality shine through. Howell said when Austin wants something he will work and try until he can accomplish it.

“He is a very intelligent kid,” Howell said. “He knows what he wants and is aware what is going on around him.”

Howell is not the only one who has noticed Austin’s intelligence and determination. Anybody who spends time with him will notice that even though he does not speak, he will acknowledge you by looking right into your eyes and will give you a smile. Smith notices that spark in his eyes and his smile when he sees people.

“Even though he may not speak in words, he speaks with his actions, and the sparkle in his eye can be heard clearly,” Smith said.

Howell continues to have conversations with him like regular old buddies. Austin has grown fond of Howell’s company and his voice. Teacher Dani Ricke said that they have a button with Howell’s voice that says “I’m done.”  

“This is a way for him to tell his paras that he is ready for his next activity,” Ricke said. “The button also gives Austin comfort. When he is having a bad day he pushes the button so he can hear Sam’s voice.”

 If Howell is nearby and hears Austin cry because he is having a bad day, he will go into his classroom and talk to him.

Like any friendship, Howell is also there for Austin outside of school.

Austin’s mother Delicia Timm said anytime they see Howell, he always comes over and talks to Austin. He always shows how much he cares.

One day when she needed help feeding Austin, Howell came over to help her out. He got Austin to calm down so she could feed him.

Delicia and Austin’s father, Robbie Timm, think that Sam is a great young man, and a great influence in Austin’s life.

“It means a lot to our family that Sam has always acknowledged Austin,” Delicia said. “It makes me very happy that Austin has a good friend like Sam.”

Delicia is also grateful for all that Skyline Schools has done for her family, for all of Austin’s paras and their love for him.

“Skyline Schools is a great school system,” Delicia said.

She feels very blessed to have all the support from the school and especially from her extended family. Her family has helped care for Austin and his disabilities and is by far one of her biggest supporters.

Howell is grateful to have had the opportunity to be a part of Austin’s life. He feels that every time they meet, they brighten each other’s day.

“Austin has helped to teach the school about compassion and acceptance of people and their differences,” Smith said.

Austin has touched everyone’s heart in the school. Carrasco said when Austin leaves the school, she will need about a week to gather herself together.

When Howell goes off to college, he too will miss Austin’s presence and his smile.

“When we see each other we brighten each other’s day. It will be hard when I have to leave,” Howell said.

 These young men have not only shown each other what a true friendship is, but they have shown the entire school what friendship is all about. They have helped students open their minds and hearts to anybody they meet, with or without disabilities.

Howell could not have predicted that their friendship would have transformed into this type of bond.

“I’m very proud to call him my brother and always will be proud to call him my brother,” Howell said.