Living with autism, Sheng Jie | In The Spotlight - video Dailymotion

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"Due to his condition, when he likes something, he really could go deep into it. Like when he likes dinosaurs." 27-year-old Sheng Jie, living with autism, has made a career out of his dinosaur illustrations. His talent led to his dinosaur-patterned bag being purchased by Ho Ching, and brought on an official visit to the US. Sheng Jie’s journey exemplifies perseverance and creativity, breaking barriers and changing perceptions about autism.  Watch more: https://www.asiaone.com/video

Transcript

00:00He can scream and he can just lie on the floor.

00:03And then to the public, they look at him and then

00:07find out why he's like that.

00:09Then we have to find a way to explain to them his conditions.

00:18My name is Sitoh Sajieh.

00:20I'm 37 years old. I've become an artist.

00:22Hi, I'm Jason, his father.

00:25Hi, my name is Wendy, his mother.

00:29Actually, when he was born, he was very quiet.

00:32He was very quiet compared to anyone.

00:34And then even compared to his brother.

00:37And until one to two years old, we realised that actually he's too quiet.

00:41And his behaviour is also a little different.

00:43He doesn't even call us Papa, Mama.

00:46Even his brother, actually, one year old can call us Papa, Mama.

00:50But he doesn't even call us.

00:51So we realised that actually he's a bit different.

00:55And then we brought him to see a doctor.

00:58The doctor said, no, he's still very young.

01:01Okay, then we said, we'll just leave it and then we'll observe.

01:05And try to monitor him.

01:07And after that, we went to the nursery.

01:10About four years old, then the teacher asked us to bring him to check.

01:16So after that, then he was diagnosed autistic from then.

01:20From young, I think about nursery

01:24We sent him to those normal preschools.

01:29But they tried for two, three months.

01:32I think the teacher kept on complaining, saying he's not suitable.

01:37So we got no choice.

01:39We find another one, also the same thing.

01:42Finally got one preschool, accept him.

01:45But after that, he also cannot cope very well.

01:50So they suggest we all go to Rainbow School.

01:53After Rainbow, about nine years old

01:57then he went to Park Flight School.

02:00From young, we have difficulty for him to wake up early.

02:04And when we want to wake him up early

02:06he may be knocked down, he may lie on the floor or make a lot of noise.

02:11And we have to find things to calm him down, like food.

02:17Then you wake up now, later I bring him to eat.

02:21And this is part of it, in the morning.

02:24And when he's out outside, then he likes to dash around.

02:30And we always ask him to not dash around, it's very dangerous.

02:34But he doesn't listen to us.

02:36When you want to stop him, it makes it even worse.

02:40He can scream and he can just lie on the floor.

02:44And then to the public, they look at him and find out why he's like that.

02:49Then we have to find a way to explain to them his condition.

02:53Not many people understand.

02:55Because from his outlook, you don't look disability.

03:00Even our relatives actually don't really understand why he's autistic.

03:04We tell them that autism is something that they live in their own world

03:09but it's a spectrum, not everyone is the same.

03:12Whatever they did, they thought was right.

03:16So there's no wrong.

03:17So when they offend you, they don't know he's wrong.

03:20Initially, we asked him to say sorry anyway.

03:23And if those are unreasonable, then we also have our temper.

03:28So we'll tell them off.

03:29People also educate what your autism is, what your special needs are.

03:33You can watch movies.

03:35And it's good that organisations and even the media

03:40can have more of this kind of movie for disability.

03:46So to make people know that there are a lot of disabilities.

03:49But for them, it's a bit different because it's just a disability.

03:52That's invisibility.

03:56We are harder than those, actually, can be seen.

04:00So we have to still tell them, you know, he's autistic.

04:05So with all these organisations like Purple Parade, Running Hours

04:09and even some part-time schools

04:11actually, they are doing a very good invention.

04:14And then Purple Parade, every year, they have this awareness

04:19that there are disabilities in this world.

04:22And Running Hours actually is helping the disability.

04:26So with all these organisations, we are very thankful

04:30and you cannot force everyone to accept.

04:33And we go slowly, one step at a time.

04:36Due to his conditions, when he likes something, he really goes deep into it.

04:41Like when he likes dinosaurs, he draws it and then he sculptures the dinosaurs.

04:48And anywhere, anytime, even in the school.

04:53The teacher says, you know, now it's school time, you're supposed to study.

04:57Sometimes he ignores them, he keeps on doing it.

05:00And the teacher also knows his conditions.

05:02So to give him a short period, after he finishes, he comes back to the class.

05:07I think his favourite dinosaur is the Tyrannosaurus rex.

05:15He lived in North America during the late Cretaceous period before extinction.

05:21From even Lost Adventures, episode 17, Allosaurus appeared in the Marina Bay.

05:33And episode 18, Rampage in the Marina Bay Bridge.

05:43Imaginations.

05:46Create his own story.

05:49Create your own story.

05:50And also episode 17, a lot of stories.

05:53So many episodes already.

05:55He writes stories.

05:56In the Marina South.

05:59After he joined the ADP, the school asked his faculty

06:05whether they were interested to bring the merchandise.

06:07And they liked one of the drawings of his dinosaur motif.

06:11So he brought it into a dino pouch.

06:13Initially, this dino pouch was in the school for a long time.

06:18Not many people bought it.

06:19But at one event, Madam Ho Ching came to.

06:23So she bought the dino pouch at that event.

06:26The second day, he brought this dino pouch to the USA

06:29and showcased it during the welcome ceremony.

06:32And then this dino pouch suddenly became very famous.

06:36Actually, Shen Jie didn't really understand.

06:38Because he first knew about this dino pouch carried by Madam Ho Ching

06:42was by one teacher.

06:43She WhatsApped me and said,

06:45Do you know Madam Ho Ching carried this dino pouch in the USA?

06:49I said, I don't know at all.

06:50So after I saw the news, I told Shen Jie on the way back.

06:55And Shen Jie didn't really know what was happening.

06:59Shen Jie, do you remember Madam Ho Ching carrying your dino pouch?

07:04To where?

07:05USA.

07:06USA, yes.

07:07That photo, can you remember?

07:09At PAF, we carried the dino pouch.

07:15Take photo together, you happy?

07:17So how you feel?

07:18Happy.

07:20Until today, they have many products actually

07:22into this pattern, the dino pouch pattern.

07:25But he also draws on other things that are also made into merchandise

07:29like rabbit and beetle.

07:33Definitely, we feel very proud because actually

07:35at least he's now well-known to the public.

07:39And then people like his work and then purchase his product.

07:43So he can earn some loyalty.

07:46After this incident, actually a lot of people that know Shen Jie

07:51don't know how to draw or know that actually he knows how to sculpture.

07:54Because during the interview, he always carries this jumping clay

07:58the clay to make, to sculpture into a dinosaur.

08:01So people also noticed that actually he sculptures dinosaurs.

08:05Because of this, Lee Kuan Chien, one of the directors

08:07suddenly also asked Shen Jie to make into a dinosaur

08:11and also the museum, sculpture the museum.

08:14And now actually, he's also learning history since

08:17from this Jojo Mama, since last year.

08:19And recently, he's full-time employed by Jojo Mama.

08:23So Shen Jie role-plays in Jojo Mama now.

08:26So they keep making racing coasters

08:28and also help to do sales and do some workshop packing.

08:33And this is his first job.

08:35And last time when people asked whether he's employed or not

08:38he said he can never be employed because he cannot be independent.

08:42And now with his employment, he feels very happy

08:45and hopes in the future that he can be independent

08:48because actually now I have to be him

08:51even in the workshop or in these sales outside.

08:55And we hope that next time, he can do everything by his own.

09:00So with all these organisations that help to bring awareness

09:04to the public about disabilities

09:06I think all these platforms are very good

09:08and we hope there are more to come.

Living with autism, Sheng Jie | In The Spotlight

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