Love without words. If your family has experienced the impact of autism, you already know the pain behind that brief statement.

Clarence residents Molly and Matthew Pitman are the very fortunate parents of two beautiful children, Donovan and Charlotte. Now 14, Donovan was diagnosed with autism at 23 months old … and their lives were changed forever.

“When our daughter Charlotte was about three years old, she asked me why Donovan did not respond when she said, ‘I love you.’ While I was caught off guard, I used her bond with our family dog, Makeo, as a teachable moment,” said Molly. “Makeo plays with you. He gets excited when you come home and he even lets you cuddle with him. Makeo shows you his love without saying a word. Charlotte seemed to have a better understanding, and so did I.”

“The Jump” by author Jessica DiPalma is the latest release from Buffalo-based NFB Publishing.

In her novel, Jack Saunders thinks nothing will ever be good again after he is forced to move to New York City. Things begin to change when Riley Caldwell stands up for him against the middle school bully. While the two quickly become friends, Jack can’t help feeling that Riley is hiding something. 

The truth is Riley is descended from a secret legacy of art jumpers. Jack discovers this fact as Riley is about to enter a painting to rescue her grandfather when he fails to return from a jump. 

Now these two friends will face the adventure of their lives. They must race against time to search for Riley’s grandfather and get back home before the portal closes and they are trapped forever in the world of the painting.

AMHERST, N.Y. – Daemen College’s athletic training graduates have for the fifth consecutive year achieved a 100 percent first-time pass rate on the rigorous National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) Board of Certification exam, a rate that far surpasses the national average of 83 percent.

“The impressive success of our 2017 athletic training graduates continues the high level of performance achieved by previous classes on the national certification exam,” said Dr. Michael Brogan, vice president for academic affairs and dean of students. “Attaining this pass rate speaks to the academic strength, quality of our faculty, and hard work of our talented students to develop the advanced competencies needed for the athletic training profession.”