At the near end of Goldi’s high school year, I feel there should be an exclamation at the end of that sentence. Sentences beginning with the word who are expected to end in a question mark. But on the back of a souvenir Musical t- shirt it says “Who is here. Who is here period. As in who is here is a statement a real declaration. That declaration belongs on the back of Gold’s T- shirt.

Goldi was a WHO in the Dr. Seuss musical. Remember WHO”s. These Whos lived in Whoville. They know the real meaning of Christmas and taught that lesson to the Grinch. The Whos lived on a speck of dust and were saved by a caring Elephant named Horton. Goldi was cast as one of those Whos. She was a Who- So small, friendly, lively, and living simple life. She liked al the Whos knew that a person is a person no matter how small.

Before the last musical performance, Goldi, Who wrote a speech. As she stood before the cast, she shook and even cried a little, then she said:

Who is here!

I am a Who.

A Who is happy and is friendly to other Whos.

One important thing about the Whos is that they speak.

They say: We are here!

So I am here too. I have been here doing things.

I have autism and I am here.

I am glad to be here.

Who is here!

This who is happy to be here!

Goldi said those words and meant it.

Her audience heard them too and cried.

“I was crying and so many people cry, ” Goldi said to me.

People who heard the speech came to me and said “There was not a dry eye in the audience. Best speech I ever heard. “

“I know they are all emotional,” Goldi said, “But why did they cry?”

I stopped to think. Yes, they were all emotional. It was the last performance, But deep down there was another reason. I knew it but had to say the right words to explain.

“Because you spoke to a whole audience of Whos.” I said, “And they felt like happy somebodies. You reminded them that each WHO is here- each person no matter how small, in this big world of Whos. Whos are here! That makes God happy! “

“Then Who is here!” Goldi said, “This who is really happy to be here,”