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The Missing Lyrics : A Father's Story of Autism, Grief, and a Society In Denial
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 6, 2026
When I first heard about Tyler Hudson’s story, I thought, “Hey, that’s my story!”
Tyler is a stay-at-home dad precipitated by the need to care for his autistic son. Not only that, but we both grew up south of Pampa, Texas, more or less down the same dirt road.
And then I find out his story is just like mine?
Only it’s not. Not at all.
Sure, there are bound to be some similarities. But there is also a world of difference.
My son, Alex, was diagnosed at age 3 as level 2 on the autism spectrum disorder. Non-verbal at the time, those of you who know him now may find it hard to believe that there was ever a time he couldn’t talk.
Indeed, he has made a lot of progress, both verbal and otherwise. Some of that journey we have chronicled on Facebook and other outlets.
But as that journey continues, I’ve found myself avoiding the autism aspects of our story more and more for a variety of reasons. Some of that is out of respect for Alex as he has gotten older. He is much higher-functioning than we ever imagined he would become, and highlighting his rough patches doesn’t seem fair to him. Some of it is because I’ve grown weary of the factions and politics of autism advocacy. And finally, not least, is that while I wanted our story to inform and inspire hope in others, I have become increasingly aware that, for many families, it does the opposite.
In the wide range of what autism covers today, Alex’s original diagnosis was right in the middle - a level 2 out of categories 1, 2, and 3. Through a lot of hard work on his part, intensive therapies, and fortunate circumstances, he has progressed to what would be called level 1 today. We are thrilled at how far he has come, and it gives us hope for what will be.
But that isn’t every autism story. And it’s certainly not the case for Tyler Hudson’s family. His dear son, Lyric, has profound autism. He will need 24-hour care for the rest of his life. No part of that is due to a lack of hard work or therapies. The fortunes are different and the questions of why are uncomfortable.
And while I can never express how much we’ve leaned on, learned from, and are endlessly grateful for the community support we continue to receive, I have deep regrets about how stories like ours overshadow stories like Lyric’s. As hard as it is to say, overshadow is the wrong verb. Erase is the right one.
Tyler is such an understanding guy and deep-thinker, he would probably graciously acknowledge that was never the intent of sharing our story, nor would he discourage us from doing so. But on a societal level, when only autism stories like ours are collectively shared, the hard reality is that people like Lyric get erased.
Stories about profoundly autistic people are important and deserve our attention. I am in no way qualified to tell those stories, but fortunately there is someone who is qualified and a far better storyteller - Tyler Hudson.
He has just released a new book, and if you are a part of the autism discussion at all, you owe it to yourself and to children and adults like Lyric to check it out.
Tyler is a stay-at-home dad precipitated by the need to care for his autistic son. Not only that, but we both grew up south of Pampa, Texas, more or less down the same dirt road.
And then I find out his story is just like mine?
Only it’s not. Not at all.
Sure, there are bound to be some similarities. But there is also a world of difference.
My son, Alex, was diagnosed at age 3 as level 2 on the autism spectrum disorder. Non-verbal at the time, those of you who know him now may find it hard to believe that there was ever a time he couldn’t talk.
Indeed, he has made a lot of progress, both verbal and otherwise. Some of that journey we have chronicled on Facebook and other outlets.
But as that journey continues, I’ve found myself avoiding the autism aspects of our story more and more for a variety of reasons. Some of that is out of respect for Alex as he has gotten older. He is much higher-functioning than we ever imagined he would become, and highlighting his rough patches doesn’t seem fair to him. Some of it is because I’ve grown weary of the factions and politics of autism advocacy. And finally, not least, is that while I wanted our story to inform and inspire hope in others, I have become increasingly aware that, for many families, it does the opposite.
In the wide range of what autism covers today, Alex’s original diagnosis was right in the middle - a level 2 out of categories 1, 2, and 3. Through a lot of hard work on his part, intensive therapies, and fortunate circumstances, he has progressed to what would be called level 1 today. We are thrilled at how far he has come, and it gives us hope for what will be.
But that isn’t every autism story. And it’s certainly not the case for Tyler Hudson’s family. His dear son, Lyric, has profound autism. He will need 24-hour care for the rest of his life. No part of that is due to a lack of hard work or therapies. The fortunes are different and the questions of why are uncomfortable.
And while I can never express how much we’ve leaned on, learned from, and are endlessly grateful for the community support we continue to receive, I have deep regrets about how stories like ours overshadow stories like Lyric’s. As hard as it is to say, overshadow is the wrong verb. Erase is the right one.
Tyler is such an understanding guy and deep-thinker, he would probably graciously acknowledge that was never the intent of sharing our story, nor would he discourage us from doing so. But on a societal level, when only autism stories like ours are collectively shared, the hard reality is that people like Lyric get erased.
Stories about profoundly autistic people are important and deserve our attention. I am in no way qualified to tell those stories, but fortunately there is someone who is qualified and a far better storyteller - Tyler Hudson.
He has just released a new book, and if you are a part of the autism discussion at all, you owe it to yourself and to children and adults like Lyric to check it out.
August 16, 2026
They say about 20% of people with diagnosed autism are on the deep end of the spectrum, meaning they likely cannot take care of themselves or even communicate their needs and wants. Author Tyler Hudson's son, Lyric, is one of those people. While autism is a hot topic today, very few people are speaking about the experiences of those with profound autism--and those who have it often cannot speak for themselves. So Hudson is now speaking out on behalf of his son and others like him. And he's asking the difficult questions: What is autism, really? How do people get it? How can we stop it? Is there a cure? Society often pushes back on these questions, but Hudson is undeterred. Instead, he says society is actually in denial about what is happening to these kids--and we have to get it together soon or our grandchildren will pay the price.
I highly recommend this important book to anyone with a loved on the spectrum, especially those with profound autism.
I highly recommend this important book to anyone with a loved on the spectrum, especially those with profound autism.
August 19, 2026
I initially picked up The Missing Lyrics to support the author, but I quickly found myself genuinely enjoying the book. I was excited to dive into each new chapter and found it refreshing, curious and informative in all the right ways.
I hadn’t previously given this context a great deal of deep thought, but this book opened my eyes to perspectives I hadn’t considered and encouraged me to look at things differently. I appreciated how it sparked curiosity and understanding without ever feeling overwhelming.
Thanks to the author for taking the time to write this book.
I hadn’t previously given this context a great deal of deep thought, but this book opened my eyes to perspectives I hadn’t considered and encouraged me to look at things differently. I appreciated how it sparked curiosity and understanding without ever feeling overwhelming.
Thanks to the author for taking the time to write this book.
August 25, 2026
Tyler Hudson was made for Audible! What a fantastic book. Even if you dont share his beliefs, you cannot fault his thought process or reasoning. The great sanitisation of Autism Spectrum Disorder, what a fantastic concept for the world we are living in.
A very honest account of one families Autism journey. Highlighting the very real struggles of families, quite literally, on the deep end of Autism Spectrum Disorder.
A very honest account of one families Autism journey. Highlighting the very real struggles of families, quite literally, on the deep end of Autism Spectrum Disorder.
September 1, 2026
Yes! Yes! Yes! All the things you wish you could say out loud and delivered in the kindest possible way with a dash of humor. As I listened, I’m glad I chose the audio version because I’m not sure the tone of voice would have come through if I was reading, and I think tone is so very important with this topic. This book isn’t just about the struggles as a parent of an autistic child, it’s an instruction manual on how to be a decent human being and stop with the gaslighting.
August 14, 2026
Must read!
As a fellow parent of a child on “the deep end” of the spectrum, I’m so thankful for this book and the ideas that Tyler so eloquently conveys. This book is a must read for anyone who knows someone with “autism” or who desires a better future for the generations to come.
As a fellow parent of a child on “the deep end” of the spectrum, I’m so thankful for this book and the ideas that Tyler so eloquently conveys. This book is a must read for anyone who knows someone with “autism” or who desires a better future for the generations to come.
July 27, 2026
Everyone should read this book. I’ve followed Tyler on Instagram for a while. He is a loving father of a profoundly autistic son that was injured from childhood vaccines. He could be bitter but he’s not. He truly wants to help educate the world for the sake of all of our children’s children.
July 30, 2026
A brilliant assessment of the autism situation, both from a personal perspective ( raising a child with autism) and a scientific perspective. Mr Hudson has done his research and also lived it. He is a very articulate spokesperson for the profound autism communuty.
July 27, 2026
Very insightful reading
August 1, 2026
Loved it. Tyler has a good way of telling stories.
August 14, 2026
It’s thought provoking, it makes your eyes watery,but written in a way that also makes you smile
September 14, 2026
I would like to have heard more of the father and son story.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews