Mike was four years old when he was diagnosed with autism in 1969. One of his early challenges was having to learn to talk before he could attend school. Mike overcame this hurdle and was integrated into the general education classroom and graduated on time. As an adult he struggled with dating and recollects, “I was in my forties, I was single, and I didn't want to die lonely. I ran across this person named Margo and we started talking, and emailing back and forth. About 10 years ago, we had our first date, and I knew my life would be changed forever. Mike embraced marriage and also the opportunity to become a step dad to Margo’s two sons who are both also on the spectrum. Mike believes having autism helps him understand what his sons are going through and says, “Parenting can be a challenge, but it’s also very rewarding.” Mike and Margo share their thoughts on marriage and raising children with autism. Mike also works at Talk To Me Technologies in Cedar Falls. He is an autism awareness advocate and talks about employment for people on the spectrum and participates in safety presentations.