The love between siblings is a bond unlike any other. But when one brother is nonverbal, that love and communication between them can become a bit more challenging. However, that can make it all the more special. People who have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) face multiple challenges.
The name ASD covers a wide-range of disorders, all of which can cause issues with how a person communicates, socializes, behaves and develops. According to Healthline.com, around 25 to 30 percent of those with ASD are some level of nonverbal. Love and support is essential for anyone diagnosed with ASD. And for one young man, that love and support meant finding any way possible to communicate with his nonverbal brother.
Maikob, who goes by @footmouth on TikTok, recently uploaded a video showing the special bond he and his autistic brother share. His name, as well as his brother’s last name, are being withheld for privacy. In the video, Maikob and his brother are sitting together on a bench in front of the family’s piano. As he begins playing music, his brother’s face lights up. The joy is contagious. The video quickly went viral, getting more than 3.5 million views.
My brother is nonverbal so he struggles to communicate, but it’s easy to tell when he’s having fun.”
The video shares the joy his brother gets at hearing the piano music. Maikob continually watched his brother while playing. His brother, the entire time, smiling and swaying to the music. The love between the two shines through as you watch the simple joy given through the beautiful music being played.
Miakob plays piano for his autistic brother. Photo from TikTok
TikTok users also quickly identified the song Maikob played – “Clair de Lune” by Claude Debussy. While many loved the Maikob’s performance of the song, most reserved their praise for the brothers:
- “You’re such a sweet brother to him, he loves the music”
- “Clair de lune is my fav! You played it beautifully.”
- “This made my heart so happy I love the way he looks at you.”
- “The way he searches for your eye contact. I simply cannot do this tonight.”
- “The joy is so real, the engaging eye contact, the vibing. I cried. My beautiful and smart daughter is nonverbal autistic and an absolute joy and pleasure.”
But just as importantly, users shared how much it meant to see their children, friends, siblings and students represented by the brothers in such an amazing way. “This is beautiful. I’m a former teacher who has worked with ASD children, including some who were nonverbal,” said one user. “Being able to reach them was very challenging but always rewarding. Seeing your brother’s face light up like this is an extraordinary privilege and reminds me of my greatest successes with those wonderful kids.”
@happiestofficial He looks at him with so much love in his eyes 🥹 #fyp #foryoupage #piano #pianist #autism #autismawareness #nonverbalautism ♬ original sound – Happiest
