Underestimated

An Autism Miracle

By: J. B. Handley, Jamison Handley

Narrated by: George Newbern

The incredibly moving and inspiring story about a quest to finally be heard.

In Underestimated: An Autism Miracle, Generation Rescue’s cofounder J.B. Handley and his teenage son Jamison tell the remarkable story of Jamison’s journey to find a method of communication that allowed him to show the world that he was a brilliant, wise, generous, and complex individual who had been misunderstood and underestimated by everyone in his life.

Jamison’s emergence at the age of seventeen from his self-described “prison of silence” took place over a profoundly emotional and dramatic twelve-month period that is retold from his father’s perspective. The book unfolds like a spy thriller while allowing the listener to share in the complex emotions of both exhilaration and anguish that accompany Jamison’s journey for him and his family. Once Jamison’s extraordinary story has been told, Jamison takes over the narrative to share the story from his perspective, allowing the world to hear from someone who many had dismissed and cast aside as incapable.

Jamison’s remarkable transformation challenges the conventional wisdom surrounding autism, a disability impacting 1 in 36 Americans. Many scientists still consider nonspeakers with autism—a full 40 percent of those on the autism spectrum—to be “mentally retarded.” Is it possible that the experts are wrong about several million people? Are all the nonspeakers like Jamison?

Underestimated: An Autism Miracle will touch your heart, inspire you, remind you of the power of love, and ultimately leave you asking tough questions about how many more Jamisons might be waiting for their chance to be freed from their prison of silence, too. And, for the millions of parents of children with autism, the book offers a detailed description of a communication method that may give millions of people with autism back their voice.

©2021 J. B. Handley and Jamison Handley (P)2023 Skyhorse Audio

Critic reviews

“The Handley family’s mission to save their son, Jamie, is the greatest love story ever told. The power of love, determination and strength creates yet another paradigm shift in autism therapies that will affect the masses on a global scale. Jamie Handley is a real-life superhero and his story brings hope to all of humanity. Life, for many, will never be the same after reading this book. Thank you JB, Jamie, and the whole Handley family for sharing your miraculous journey.”

—Jenny McCarthy, author of Louder Than Words; coauthor of Healing and Preventing Autism

“I’m both dumbstruck by and grateful for the dogged determination of Jamison Handley and his loving family. With this book he shows the world that a debilitated, nonspeaking youth severely disabled by full blown autism can transform into a gifted and wry individual with humor and wisdom to share with the world. This book is at once an exhilarating joyride and a pointed critique of the catastrophic failures of the mainstream mental health orthodoxies. Jamison, the trailblazer, shows the world that nonspeakers with autism have extraordinary potential and cognitive gifts. Millions more like Jamison are awaiting their chance to be heard.”

—Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., author of American Values: Lessons I Learned from My Family, Crimes Against Nature, and The Riverkeepers

“A breathtaking story of one family’s fight to overcome adversity. Get out your handkerchiefs. It’s impossible to read this book without crying happy tears."

—Jennifer Margulis, PhD, author of Your Baby, Your Way and coauthor of the #1 Amazon bestseller, The Vaccine-Friendly Plan (with Paul Thomas, MD)

inspiring for parents of children with ASD

this book gave me hope for the future of my young child with ASD. We have already done so many of the therapies that the family of Jamie also tried prior to trying the letter board.

Insightfully Written - Perfectly Narrated

One of the best narrators I've listened to, read with a conversational, natural cadence. Loved the author's use of location to mark milestones. As a special needs educator I was initially trained in data based / behavior modification style strategies but also had an intuitive heart for presumed competency in my students. It is so very helpful to have the viewpoint from the feelings of autistic people, especially re such challenges as stim and compulsions. Over the years it was a blessing to learn about other approaches, see their advantages and successes, and then incorporate them into a "whatever brings the best individual success" learning environment to my classrooms (both special needs and standard ed). I am thrilled to see S2C bringing non speakers' voices to the world! Thank you for sharing your very personal and inspirational journey.

Inspired and filled with hope

Thank you so much Jamie, JB, and the Dude Bros for sharing your stories! I am filled with so much hope and I’m excited to start this journey with my daughter! This was an amazing book!

Educators MUST READ/LISTEN!

So, so vital. Thank you for helping me understand what I have long suspected---that our nonspeaking students are highly intelligent. This should ALWAYS be our starting point and central grounding point.

Incredible, just get it already!

I watched the Spellers movie and this is a more in depth look into the process of learning to spell and the impacts on their family is incredible! Lots of emotion, couldn't stop listening.

Very inspiring and helpful!

My son is nonverbal (6 years old), And I know he is so smart. We looked into doing letter boarding with him maybe a year ago, but couldn't afford it, so we were trying to figure out other ways to help him communicate. Right now we're learning ASL with him, and he seems to have taken to that, but I have letterboarding on the back burner as an option if ASL doesn't fully pan out.

We saw the Spellers movie a while ago when it first came out, and I didn't realize that Jamie was in it at the time until listening to this book! I need to go back and watch it again after listening to this book, now knowing more of his backstory.

Thank you!!!!!

Thank you!!!! You are helping me be a better mom for my son who is also non verbal and has all the potential

Moving and inspiring

My son is a non speaker who is just beginning his spelling journey. The Spellers movie inspired us to visit DM in Oceanside and this book is an additional support in bringing us hope to one day hear Oliver’s inner voice.

Moving story

We absolutely must get the word out about the idea that a large portion of the non-speaking autistic population could be helped by learning to use spelling boards! It is a matter of doing what could revolutionize life for a huge population that is currently misunderstood and underestimated!

seen

this candid encounter is bringing light to so many people unknown world causing them to now be seen