Joplin Tornado: Maddox Prier, Boy With Autism, Saved Family And Said 'I Love You' For First Time

"I hear the horns."

Those were the four words with which Maddox Prier, a nine year old with autism, woke his family before the EF-5 tornado struck Joplin, Mo., one year ago. The family climbed into the bathtub for safety and the storm hit seconds later, kspr.com reports.

Huddled in the bathtub, Janyce told each family member how much she loved them -- but hours after the tornado passed, Maddox -- who spoke his first words at five years old and doesn't express much emotion -- changed her life again:

"We were laying on the floor of the bedroom, and I was just looking at Maddox, and I was like, 'I love you Maddox,' and he goes, 'I love you too, Mommy' and he's never said it since," Janyce told KSPR. "That was the first time he'd ever said it. I bawled and bawled."

With the house and neighborhood destroyed, the family credits Maddox for saving them.

"I don't remember anything about the tornado hitting our house," Janyce told kspr.com. "I just, I guess in there somewhere, I just didn't want to be afraid, so the last thing I wanted to feel was that I loved everybody so, that's what I did."

Watch the video from KSPR above. And read more stories about other Joplin heroes here.

Autism-God Study Suggests Disorder Makes Belief In Deity Less Likely

New autism study suggests that belief in god is less common among people with autism. On average, older individuals have a stronger belief in God than younger age groups.

By: Stephanie Pappas, LiveScience Senior Writer
Published on LiveScience | Full story: HuffPost

People who have more traits of autism are less likely to believe in God that those that do not have such traits, according to new research that suggests that belief is boosted by the ability to see into the minds of others.

This ability, often called theory of mind, or mentalizing, is diminished in people with autism spectrum disorders, a cluster of conditions marked by communication and social difficulties. Because people's beliefs in God are often marked by feelings of having a personal relationship with the deity, prayer and worship may require a sense of what God could be thinking, researchers report Wednesday (May 30) in the journal PLoS ONE.

"Believers intuitively treat gods as intentional agents with mental states who enter into social relationships with humans, using supernatural powers to assuage existential concerns, respond to human desires and monitor their social behavior," the scientists wrote.

Getting personal with God

Brain imaging studies have shown that when people think about God or pray, it activates areas in the brain crucial for theory of mind. Likewise, as children grow and get better at imagining other people's thoughts... READ MORE >>

Video: Stephen discusses his Asperger's

Stephen
Stephen from London, talks about his Asperger's and some of the problems he's had in his life because of his autism, and how he has overcome some of his obstacles through his music.

Source of Autism Support Network