PASTORAL CARE - Ms Danielle Nilon

Wonderfully Wired Minds

At St Joseph’s, we celebrate the unique ways people think and learn. Each week in Joey’s Morning Meeting, we explore a Wonderfully Wired famous person—someone who has used their unique strengths to achieve amazing things. In this section, we’ll share what we’ve discovered so you can continue the conversation at home. Stay tuned for inspiring stories of resilience, creativity, and determination!

Week 10’s Wonderfully WIred Person:

Dan Aykroyd (Actor and Comedian)

Dan Aykroyd, famous for Ghostbusters and Saturday Night Live, has Tourette’s syndrome and autism. As a child, he was often teased for being different, but he used his creativity and humour to connect with others. His unique way of thinking helped him create some of the most memorable characters in film and television.

Dan’s story shows that challenges can be turned into strengths when you embrace who you are and follow your dreams.

Here’s how you can explain these types of neurodiversity to your child.

Autism:

Autism means that someone might think, feel, or learn in a different way. They might really like doing certain things, or find loud noises and bright lights too much. Some kids with autism might not talk a lot, while others talk a lot about things they love. They're just being themselves, like everyone else.

Tourette’s:

Tourette’s is when someone makes movements or sounds they can’t always control, called tics. For example, they might blink a lot, make noises, or say words suddenly. They’re not doing it on purpose—it’s just something their body does.