I want to focus on the life and impact of Suzanne Wright who died Friday at the age of 69 after battling pancreatic cancer.
Her name is instantly familiar to so many parents with a loved one on the autism spectrum.
She and her husband, Bob Wright, the former chairman and CEO of NBC Universal, are co-founders of "Autism Speaks."
They made a home on Palm Beach and adopted the autism community both here and around the globe.
Even in the midst of her cancer battle, Wright could not be kept away from the "Autism Speaks" annual walk in West Palm Beach last spring.
The organization was created in 2005 after Suzanne and Bob found out that their grandson, Christian, was diagnosed with autism.
They quickly found out that guidance and help was hard to come by and Suzanne attacked the problems with fierce determination.
No hurdle was too big for her.
She fought for educational resources for those on the autism spectrum.
More scientific research on causes and treatments—she and Bob got it.
The couple demanded and won medical insurance for families nationwide that were desperate for help.
Every corner of the world, and a long list of leaders, saw Suzanne’s passion first hand. Her “Light It Up Blue” campaign spanned continents.
It all adds up to an enduring legacy. Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”
Suzanne Wright lived well, helping to clear a path for the autism community to follow.
