My Story

Posted on September 8, 2025

My name is Thomas Hassell, and I live in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. I am 64 years old and on the autism spectrum, I am a well-known autism and disability self-advocate across PA. I was originally diagnosed in my late teen years with a learning disability. My parents were Warren and Lucille Hassell, both of whom have been deceased for over 20 years now. I am the fourth of five kids. I did have three sisters, but my eldest sister Sue passed away just about two and a half years ago. My other siblings are my brother Mike and my sisters Donna and Michelle. I am a 1975 graduate of St. Agnes Catholic School and a 1979 graduate of Towanda Area High school. I attended College Misericordia (now Misericordia University), and I entered the school in the Alternative Learners program for 4 1/2 years and received my Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration. I had many job interviews, but I could only get low paying jobs.

Now many years later around my 44th birthday, I was taken to see a psychologist in Maryland who tested me because my family felt like I had strange and odd mannerisms. The psychologist diagnosed me with an autism spectrum disorder. I always felt like I was the black sheep in my family because of my strange behaviors. However, once I got the ASD diagnosis things began to make sense to me which explained the strange behaviors. Later the real shocker came as I was having health problems. I had a double hernia operation. During the operation they had to insert a breathing apparatus in my throat during the surgery, and they found out I had very low oxygen in my blood, so they gave me a diagnosis of Pulmonary Hypertension. It has been over 15 years since I have been living with this condition which has no known cure. I am under doctor’s care and currently taking several medications to keep the medical condition from getting any worse.

Now in 2009, my sister-in-law found a new adult support group for adults with an ASD diagnosis. The group originally started with only 3 members but over the next 15 plus years the group would begin to grow. The leader of it wanted to find a way to get our voices heard so I volunteered to find guest speakers to come to our meetings and help with this. Did I know what I was to embark on? Not in the least! I sent out email invites to important people who worked in the autism field. Did I think I was going to succeed in doing this? No, I had no idea whether this was going to work but low and behold, I got a positive response to my invitation. Now 15 plus years later, I have page after page of guest speaker contacts, and I am always looking for new people to be guest speakers. About 8 years ago, the leadership of the group, known as “spectrum friends,” changed hands a couple of times until the Autism Society Greater Harrisburg Area affiliate asked me to take over the reigns of the group. I was also a liaison from the adult group to become a full-fledged board member of the ASghA, I am now in my 14th year as a board member.

In order to become a member of Spectrum Friends you must be 18 years old and up and as the leader of the group I’m the oldest surviving member of the original three members. Our group numbers fluctuate each month, but we have about 10 to 15 active members. We meet once a month at a local Giant Food store in their community center. We hold our meetings in one of the rooms at 6:30pm on the second Thursday of each month. We still get guest speakers to come throughout the year, and we also have game nights at our meetings. We have small outings for our members for a day of fun and friendship! We have been to so many places over the years I can’t keep track anymore. Our group is funded by the Greater Harrisburg Autism society area affiliate but day to day things are strictly done by me. Our meetings are both in person and on Zoom, we also have our own group website called “Oasis”.

Here is when my life would change for the better. In 2017, I would receive word from Dennis O’Brien who had been the former speaker of the Pennsylvania Legislature and Nina Wall, the former director of the Bureau of Autism Resources and Special Populations. They had both come to one of the group meetings. It was after this first meeting when they both saw something special in me. When I received the Autism Advocacy award from Dennis O’Brien, I found out I had to write an acceptance speech. I had no clue how to do it but I somehow managed to write it! In Mid-April 2017 my sister Sue and I traveled to Philadelphia, PA for the ceremony. There I received the most wonderful award. To this day both Nina and Dennis are very good friends of mine and have been guest speakers several times at our spectrum Friends meetings a couple of times over the years. After receiving this award many new doors have opened for me, I have been on several committees and participated in a few speaking engagements. I have done many autism projects over the past 15 years.

In 2021 once again my life would once again take another turn as a member of our adult ASD support group would surprise me by nominating me for the Disability Advocacy award from the Disabilities Section of the American Public Health Association (APHA). I also belong to two different employment forums, one is done by the Office of Developmental Programs, and I also belong to the Philadelphia Employment Forum. A couple of years ago I was invited and accepted to be a blogger for the ASDNext website, which is part of the Autism Support, Education, Resources, Training Collaborative (ASERT). I am also a member of a podcafe through P.H.A.S.E.S. which is an autism research study done by the Drexel Autism Institute which looks at the autism and mental health of those families and individuals on the autism spectrum. The second study I am involved with is the ASC Autism Research Study through the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. This study looks at the aging autism population. A few weeks ago, I finished a 16-day autism study for the A.J. Drexel Autism Institute, the study looks at the day-to-day study of a autism individual. I am also a member of a self-Advocacy network done by the Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Council. I have also been an advisor to Self-Advocates United as One board for several years now.

Last year, I was approached by Mitchell Roshannon whose family owns and operates the Knoebels Amusement Park and Resort. He asked me “if I would like my photo to be added to a wall of important autism individuals.” Of course I accepted! Discussions took place over a year and in early 2025 Mr. Roshannonn would come to Mechanicsburg to take several photos of me to use for the wall and to talk. The big day was in June 2025, I invited several friends of mine to join in this momentous event for me plus the park was having an Autism Awareness Day at the park, so I was there as a vendor for this event as well. As I was traveling to the park Mr. Roshannon texted me that unfortunately my photo will not be put on the wall this year because it was not able to be printed in time. Luckily, I was still able to give my acceptance speech which made the day special with my friends being there for me… As far as my personal life is concerned, I have been a volunteer for the Mechanicsburg Museum Association for the past 15 years and a volunteer with the National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg for 14 years. I am single and I have lived by myself in an apartment for 18 years now. I also have a pet cat, Queen Ollie!