Autism Spectrum, often associated with Asperger’s syndrome, is a complex developmental disorder characterized by persistent difficulties in social interaction, communication, and restricted or repetitive behaviors. It is usually diagnosed in childhood, with several most obvious symptoms appearing around 2-3 years old.
Autism is one of the most common developmental disorders that hinders one’s ability to progress and learn things at a pace different and slower than people without autism. It gives the person a hard time performing regular day-to-day tasks and often takes them a while to complete them.
However, some children with autism usually develop symptoms until childhood, when they stop gaining or lose previous skills. Raising a child with autism is not complicated but requires parents to pay extra attention and put more effort into handling their child.
One of the most popular things someone with autism suffers from is the lack of time needed to accomplish everything one needs during the day. Hence, they require special and proper attention to meet their needs and help them overcome this disorder.
Similarly, celebrities are no exception since they also grew up having ordinary lives. Many famous people have siblings diagnosed with autism spectrum and have spoken about it to raise awareness and how others can deal with people with this disorder.
Following is a list of top celebrities who have autistic siblings:
1. Nick Lachey
Nick Lachey is a famous American actor, singer, host, and television personality. He is also a spokesman for the Lindt Gold Bunny Celebration Auction that sells gold bunnies signed by celebrities like Blake Shelton, Celine Dione, and George Stephanopoulos.
Nick has a brother named Zac, who was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome when he was seven. He said in an interview that his family has dealt with the struggle of taking care of him; and how his courage and strength inspired us.
2. Jordan Spieth
Jordan Spieth is a professional golf player who has a younger sister, Ellie, diagnosed with autism. He found out she had autism after accomplishing his first master win. Jordan immediately accepted her condition and diagnosis.
Since childhood, Ellie has had a neurological disorder, which was diagnosed later. Hence, this left her developmentally challenged. Despite her condition, Jordan still loves her sister very much.
3. Nikki Reed
Niki Reed is well known for her breakthrough performance in the Twilight movies. She has a 14-year-old brother diagnosed with autism when he was only two years old, which is when kids are typically diagnosed with it.
Nikki’s brother is very active and highly functional to the point that most people don’t even realize that he has autism. Her brother wants people to understand that he is a person of his own and doesn’t need to be labeled.
4. The Marsalis
In the early 1980s, the saxophonist Branford and trumpeter Wynston Marsalis made waves in jazz music with tunes like “Swinging at the Haven” and “The Surrey with the Fringe on Top.” They also had a brother with autism named Mboya. While Bransford and Winston used to play music, Mboya mostly stayed at home as he had autism that limited his development.
5. Peter Aykroyd
Peter Aykroyd is a Canadian actor, comedian, and writer whose younger brother Dan Aykord was diagnosed with autistic disorders. Because of that, he has been through many challenges and obstacles, including being expelled from two schools.
Since then, Dan has been open and honest about his experiences with autism and has raised awareness on this issue many times. He has even spoken openly about how his autism experiences influenced his character in Ghostbusters.
6. Kimbal Musk
Kimbal Musk is a wealthy South-African-born restaurateur, chef, and entrepreneur. Kimbal is actually the brother of the famous Elon Musk, who was also diagnosed with autism. He announced that in May 2021.
Despite his disorder, he is the founder of some of the most ground-breaking companies, including SpaceX and Tesla. He is among the wealthiest people and has an estimated net worth of more than $150 billion.
7. Page Hannah
Page Hannah is an American former actress and philanthropist with a sister named Daryl Hannah, who is also a famous actress and an environmentalist. Daryl, her sister, was diagnosed with autism during her career. She is well-known for her roles in Blade Runner, Splash, and Roxanne.
According to Daryl, her autism made it challenging to cope with some of the social demands that Hollywood stars placed on her.
8. J.T. Thomas III
J.T. Thomas III is a famous American football linebacker. He started his career with Chicago Beers and desired to become a role model for others ever since he became a rookie. J.T wanted to give back to people with different disabilities as his younger brother, Jared, also has autism. Jared stays at home mostly due to his disability.
9. Becky G
Becky G is a well-known music artist, pop singer, rapper, and actress. She has a 19-year-old brother with autism. She shared a post on Instagram for World Autism Awareness Day and Autism Awareness Month about her brother Alex.
In the post, she said that her brother Alex is the best thing that has happened to her family and that she is so thankful for him.
Autism Spectrum – A Major Development Obstacle
Autism is a developmental disorder that most people don’t think about or know about and is identified at an early age during childhood. Having autism is not easy to deal with in some cases, as you have to give a lot of time and care to the ones diagnosed with it. Many famous celebrities and their siblings have been diagnosed with autism and grew up dealing with challenges and obstacles that come with it.
Hence autism is not something to be treated lightly; people diagnosed with it should be given proper care and respect as it’s something beyond their control. While these celebrities have siblings that they love truly, there are also popular stars you were raised as only children. Find out more about these in our article about Celebrities Who Are the Only Children.