BETHLEHEM, Pa. — In the beginning, Adam and Tara Muthard didn’t wish for much — just a miracle.
Just one, no more. Wouldn’t be greedy, honest. Wouldn’t ever ask for another, promise.
A miracle of coping, for themselves and their little boy, is all the Muthards wished for upon learning their son, Brody, was diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder.
And now, that wish for a miracle has come true — on the wings not of an angel, but of an Eagle.
Despite the challenges in his life, Brody, 16, is on the precipice of achieving the rank of Eagle Scout — the highest attainable in the Boy Scouts of America.
To achieve that rank, a scout must earn a total of 21 merit badges and demonstrate spirit, service and leadership.
Brody is a Boy Scout Troop 76 member who has taken on the role of Senior Patrol Leader in the troop, which is the equivalent of a youth leader for the entire troop.
He's also turning heads by turning a 1,300-square-foot, grass-covered spot beside the Colonial Intermediate Unit 20 building on Linden Street into something special.
Parents' worrisome nightmare
It was news that dropped Adam and Tara Muthard to their knees in pain and prayer.
The Muthards wished and prayed because of the challenging hand the dastardly fates had dealt a little boy who encountered life’s hurdles from the moment he was welcomed into the world.
They needed something because something was just not right with Brody.
As he grew, the signs were unmistakable.
He was speech-delayed. He repeatedly would line up plastic cups in groups of like colors. He would only eat from a white-colored bowl.
Their child, whose pleasing smile stilled their hearts, suffered from a neurological and developmental disorder of which a symptom was preventing him from remaining still.
Brody also lacked social cues, particularly from similarly aged children.
One year old became two; two became three. His age advanced; Brody did not.
His lagging and quirky daytime routines were the Muthards’ worrisome nightmare.
They were two new parents who would lay together in the still of the night, concerned about their boy whose challenged present reflected in their minds an uncertain future.
So they watched their young son missing growth milestones that contemporaries easily met.
Little did they know an attention deficit disorder diagnosis soon would follow.
And they watched him continue to exhibit peculiar behaviors such as being maddeningly fixated on things such as the electrical wall switches in their home all being set in the up position to keep the lights on.
And they wondered: When, if ever, will his light switch go on?
‘I want to give back’
Brody, now a Nazareth Area High School junior, has since cleared life’s hurdles like an Olympic champion.
Recently, he surveyed his project's dream spot while standing beside his father. Adam Muthard has his 6-foot-2 son by about an inch.
It's among many reasons the boy looks up to his dad who, along with his mom, has always stood beside him.
Thanks to Brody’s Eagle Scout project, which must be completed by the time he turns 18, the vertical strip of land that abuts a corn field is about to grow.
“I want to give back to the I.U. with this playground because they helped me."Brody Muthard, 16, Eagle Scout candidate
The project entails planning, managing, leading and fundraising an extensive service project within their community.
The dual dream nears for Brody, who as a Cub Scout had a desire to become an Eagle Scout and do something impactful for his community.
Beginning last year with his idea to help autistic children at the I.U., Brody pitched the project to his parents; his scoutmaster, Jerry Eldridge; and I.U Executive Director Christopher Wolfel.
After getting approval and necessary support, Brady began researching, planning, sketching and fundraising to make his vision a reality.
And should all the stars align just right, right around Christmas, Santa Brody will deliver a playground for the 40 autistic children, ages 3-7, who receive intervention and therapies at the I.U., just as Brody did from age 4 to 6.
“I was diagnosed with autism when I was three years old,” he said. “I want to give back to the I.U. with this playground because they helped me.
“Hopefully, this will influence some of the I.U. children with autism, that the playground was created by someone just like them.
“I also hope this project will show parents there’s a brighter side at the end of the tunnel. That there’ll be a time when your kids will become self-sufficient and thrive in our world.”
With corporate grants and donations from labor unions and the public, Brody has raised nearly $11,000 in less than four months to cover the costs of the project.
“This shows that people in the community care a lot about others,” Brody said. “They know it's important to help.”
‘For kids like me’
The playground will consist of a sensory walkway that borders four exit doors that lead the children onto the playground.
The area in front of a red shed in the yard will house a wooden train feature that Muthard will build, sand and stain using non-pressure-treated wood.
It will be surrounded by buddy benches.
The area behind the shed will contain a Lifetime Castle Playset that will include three swings sets geared to the children’s size and protected by a railing.
Play portions of the area will be coated with rubber mulch for safety.
Site preparation for the playground project is on pause until a contracting excavator company affiliated with the Bethlehem Area School District can clear its schedule.
Brody's dream is so close he can almost taste it.
“No matter how long it takes, I’m doing this for the I.U. and those children,” he said. “I’m doing this for kids like me. For me, it’s about giving back.”
Early intervention is key
Autism is an elusive foe.
The cause and cure of autism remain a puzzle. Researchers believe it is caused by both genetic and environmental factors.
The complex neurological disorder, which affects communication, social interaction and behavior, manifests in different ways and with varying degrees of severity.
According to autismspeaks.org, 1 in 36 children in the United States have autism. The disorder affects about 4 in 100 boys and 1 in 100 girls.
There is no one-size-fits-all treatment. The goal of treatment is to maximize a child's ability to function by reducing autism spectrum disorder symptoms and supporting development and learning.
Early intervention during the preschool years can help children learn critical social, communication, functional and behavioral skills.
“Brady’s pediatrician told us when he was around 3 that we should have him evaluated,” his mom said. “We were on wait lists for him to be seen for weeks.
“When he was seen at Drexel [Autism Center] in Philadelphia, they diagnosed him as being on the [autism] scale. A follow-up at [The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia] confirmed it.
"We needed to get him to a place to help him.”
Learning such a diagnosis can be paralyzing for parents.
“You immediately wonder what kind of life he will have,” Adam Muthard said. “What does it all mean? How do we help him? It’s a lot to take in.”
‘I wondered and I worried’
Once a week for a month before Brody started kindergarten, therapists from the I.U. would visit him at his home — implementing strategies for his parents, making lists, creating routines.
From age 4 to 6, Brody was bused from his day care center to the I.U. three times a week for five hours a day for occupational therapy, speech therapy and behavioral therapy — being taught coping skills against a faceless intruder.
“I often wonder what would have happened if not for the I.U.,” Tara Muthard said. “I wondered and I worried.”
Her husband nodded.
“I’ve often thought what his life would be like today without the I.U.,” he said. “Now, he’s planning a playground.”
The father looked at his son, then softly rubbed a hand on his boy’s shoulder — the ones that have shouldered so much and now are being used to give back to those who helped him and to help those like him.
‘A pleaser child’
Brody has always liked to run things, to be in charge, even at age 5. He forever wanted his hands on the wheel.
Donna Katechis, a special education teacher at the I.U. with more than 20 years in the field, said she's not surprised one bit that Brody has taken on such an expansive project as creating a playground for autistic children at the intermediate unit.
“Brody liked to be the teacher when he was in my class,” Katechis said.
“I sometimes let the kids be the teacher in circle time. Brody knew all their names and knew the routine.
“And I remember that if the kids in the circle weren't in the same chairs they were in the day before, Brody would have them get back in their chairs they had before.
'It was all about maintaining a sense of order, which is part of autism.”
That Brody has chosen to give back to the I.U. to help autistic children to whom he can relate is, to Katechis, vintage Brody.
“Brody was a pleaser child,” she said. “Never defiant. Always wanting to be a helper. That obviously hasn’t changed.
“I’m very proud of him and what he’s doing for the children here now.”
Not gaga over Gaga Pit
The suggestion was made by several folks that perhaps a playground project was a bit too ambitious for Brody.
Not because he is autistic, but because such a project is labor intensive, time consuming and expensive for any Boy Scout.
“When Brody came to me late in July 2022 when he was a Life Scout, we met about his Eagle Scout project,” Troop 76 Scoutmaster Jerry Eldridge said.
“I told him the township was planning a new park and wanted a gaga pit built. And we’d had other scouts do that for their Eagle Scout project. So I suggested that to him.”
A gaga pit is a space for playing the game of gaga — a fast-paced, high-energy variation of dodgeball.
The pit usually is octagonal or hexagonal in shape and has flat walls on a smooth surface, such as dirt, turf, sand or rubberized material.
Suffice it to say, Brody wasn’t gaga over the suggestion.
“Brody said he wanted to do a project with meaning,” Eldridge said. “He knew the I.U. didn’t have a playground, so he decided to do that.
“I knew he had his work cut out from him, but knowing Brody, I knew he wouldn’t back down from the challenge. Once he sets his mind to something, he will do it.”
That the playground will become a reality comes as no surprise to Eldridge.
“One of the rewarding things about being a scoutmaster is seeing the growth and development of our youth,” he said.
“Brody is an exceptional example of a young boy who has taken on a lot of responsibility and can communicate his plan. He’s showing all the other scouts that anything is possible. “
‘A shining example’
The young man who is answering the challenges of autism at every turn stood before Christopher Wolfel and made his pitch: What he proposed to do, how, when and why.
And why "no" was not an option.
“I remember thinking, ‘He’s only 16 years old!’” Wolfel said. “I was amazed at how well prepared, direct and committed he was to doing this project.
“I’ve heard a lot of sales pitches and proposals in my career. Brody’s was one of the best.”
More than the sales pitch, Wolfel said what struck him then and what has stayed with him is that Brody considered giving back to the I.U.'s early intervention program.
“Here was this young man who never forgot how the I.U. impacted his life and decided to do something for the students at the school that helped him,” Wolfel said. “I was humbled.”
When concerns about finding the money to pay the playground raised its head, Wolfel calmed the waters.
"I told Brody, 'Focus on the playground project; we'll find the funding,'" he said. "He was so committed to helping those kids. There was no way we were going to let hm down."
The good folks at Colonial Intermediate Unit 20 continue doing what they do best for families of children with autism: helping, encouraging, supporting and embracing.
Years later, Wolfel said, he still hears from those families.
“That’s something about early intervention,” he said. “When I talk to those families and legislators, they understand the importance of those services for kids early on, to limit or reduce the barriers before they enter kindergarten.
“Brody is a shining example of how the system succeeds in helping those families.”
Keep the lights on
Brody Muthard, who is kicking autism to the curb, is about to join select company.
Only 4% of Boy Scouts attain the rank of Eagle Scout.
The list includes presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Gerald Ford, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Stephen Breyer, motion picture producer Steven Spielberg, basketball icon Michael Jordan and Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, the first two men to walk on the moon.
Brody is about to join that group — autism be damned.
He has overcome it all. He’s a stellar student taking advance placement courses in calculus, physics and English composition.
He’s on track to earn a third-degree black belt in martial arts. A career in the medical field is on the table.
Achieving one’s dreams rarely comes easily. The road to success is often riddled with potholes and detours under the cloak of darkness.
The recipe for success? Eyes on the road, hands on the wheel.
And, as has long been Brody Muthard’s habit, keep the lights turned on.
To donate to Brody Muthard’s I.U. playground project, go to https://eagle.brodymuthard.com/fundraising.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Colonial Intermediate Unit 20 Executive Director Christopher Wolfel is on the board of directors of Lehigh Valley Public Media. He has no influence on the editorial operations of LehighValleyNews.com.
