What It Was Like For Holly Robinson Peete To Hear Her Son’s Autism Diagnosis

RJ was 3 at the time of his diagnosis, and Holly says that part of her sadness stemmed from not having any familiarity with disorders on the spectrum. 

“I didn’t know what autism was, I didn’t have any experience with it,” she says.

Sad, frightened and feeling lost, Holly and Rodney listened as the doctor rattled off a list of things their son would never do.

“It was just, ‘He will never do this, he will never do that, he will never say “I love you,” he will never look you in the eye — all these things,” Rodney says.

“We call it the ‘never day,’” Holly adds.