Born in 1991, Tristan Piombi traveled the world with his parents and took his first dip in the ocean on island of Crete when he was just 7 months old. But after receiving the recommended MMR (Measles Mumps Rubella) vaccines, his fever spiked to 104 and he forgot many words he had learned earlier. After his mother, Andrea, took him to specialists, Tristan was diagnosed with autism at age 3. By age 6, Tristan’s speech was nearly nonexistent and at puberty he became aggressive. Today, Andrea is grateful that Tristan graduated high school and can bathe, dress and feed himself, but at age 25, he cannot be left alone. “He will never hold a job and will always live with me,” said Andrea, “but he still has a very full life.” Andrea has chosen to donate Tristan’s health records to Our Breadcrumbs. “My hope is to help people who are just starting this journey,” she said. “We had no clear path, but I want others to know that there is a light at the end of this tunnel.”
“The world is a much better place when we can share the insights, struggles and triumphs of a difficult journey. If my experiences can help to make someone’s life a little easier, why not share them?”
– Andrea Piombi, Mother of Tristan
“My hope is to help others who are just starting their journey with an autistic child. We had no clear path, but I want people to know that there is a light at the end of this tunnel.”
–Andrea Piombi, Mother of Tristan
“With Our Breadcrumbs, the information you get is true and factual. These are actual experiences that real people have gone through, not just speculation.”
–Andrea Piombi, Mother of Tristan