I believe Austin was about 12 years old and my wife Susan and I were visiting Laurie and Gregg during the summer and Austin was on summer break.
I went to visit him in his room to ask him what he was going to do for fun during his summer break. Now if you are a "typical" or "average" child you say: "Nuthin" or "read comic books" or "play base ball or basketball." All standard responses you might expect.
However, with Austin, not even close. He showed me the Solar Powered, radio controlled prototype he was building in collaboration with a friend over the summer. He had gotten some parts from the local hobby store. Others he had fashioned himself.
He gave me a complete run down of what range the car would have and what its top speed would be. He hoped that one day this prototype could be scaled up for commercial applications.
I thought that was so cool and amazing, that at age 12, he was trying to build something that would help the environment and the world.
I mean, how many 12 year old kids that would do something like that?
I always loved that about Austin - his intellect, his curiosity, his tenacity, and his desire to achieve and to better the world he lived in. And above all he was a very nice, kind and giving person.
He is truly a great soul that will be profoundly missed.
I went to visit him in his room to ask him what he was going to do for fun during his summer break. Now if you are a "typical" or "average" child you say: "Nuthin" or "read comic books" or "play base ball or basketball." All standard responses you might expect.
However, with Austin, not even close. He showed me the Solar Powered, radio controlled prototype he was building in collaboration with a friend over the summer. He had gotten some parts from the local hobby store. Others he had fashioned himself.
He gave me a complete run down of what range the car would have and what its top speed would be. He hoped that one day this prototype could be scaled up for commercial applications.
I thought that was so cool and amazing, that at age 12, he was trying to build something that would help the environment and the world.
I mean, how many 12 year old kids that would do something like that?
I always loved that about Austin - his intellect, his curiosity, his tenacity, and his desire to achieve and to better the world he lived in. And above all he was a very nice, kind and giving person.
He is truly a great soul that will be profoundly missed.