Rock Star Speaks Out About Journey with Autistic Son

New Cookbook, “Rockin’ Recipes for Autism” Support Autism Research & Music Therapy

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES, March 27, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ — Rock Star Shares His Journey With Autistic Son for Autism Awareness Month

Kenny Wilkerson Releases New cookbook, “Rockin’ Recipes for Autism” To Raise Dollars for Research & Music Therapy

Rock stars come and go, but some rock stars are still playing after forty years in what is considered a very competitive arena. Kenny Wilkerson has been playing with heavy metal bands since 1985, most notably the heavy metal hair band, NovaRex. His clothes are considered so classic that they are now on display at the Hard Rock Cafe, Smithsonian, and Indiana State Museum.

However, Wilkerson’s greatest passion is raising awareness for autism. His journey began when his son Gunner was born. Gunner is autistic.

As April is Autistic Awareness Month, Wilkerson is speaking out to raise awareness about autism spectrum disorders, the discrimination that autistic kids often face, how to support research, and especially how music therapy can help children.

“The numbers of autistic children are rising at such an alarming rate,” says Wilkerson. “In the United States, 1 in 36 kids has autism according to the CDC. And for boys, like my Gunner, the numbers are even more crazy. Boys are 4x more likely to be diagnosed as girls. But why?”

The “why” is the question that is being heavily researched every day. According to the CDC, there are some answers including genetic factors, possible environmental factors, and a growing awareness with a focus on getting more children into treatment.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) | Autism | NCBDDD | CDC

In the meantime, Wilkerson is doing what he can to raise awareness. In 2024, he released a cookbook, “Rockin’ Recipes for Autism.” 100% of the proceeds is donated to nonprofits, like Autism Speaks and We Rock for Autism. Inside the cookbook are recipes from friends in the rock world in support of Kenny’s son. www.rockinrecipesforautism.com

“My son is my hero. He struggles every day yet he’s also the smartest person I have ever met,” says Wilkerson. “I wish I could take every autistic child and build a university where they could use their amazing minds to find a cure for autism or cancer or whatever.”

Wilkerson says he also wants parents to know they are not alone. He calls the day he received his son’s diagnosis “devastating” because he felt like a failure. He encourages parents to take one day at a time and find the unique gifts in your child. In the meantime, when he isn’t playing gigs, Wilkerson can be found jamming with his son, Gunner.

“The best two things that can heal and unite people are music and food. I encourage all parents to learn about the power of music therapy in their autism journey. And rock out with some new recipes from the cookbook and help support Autism Awareness Month.”

Autism Awareness Day is April 2 and the entire month of April is dedicated to Autism Awareness. World Autism Month | Autism Speaks

Cecilia Toschi
MVT Media
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