An example of perseveration bringing relief from the chaotic and disturbing resting state default mode of FASD. Taken from a Faslink thread.

1. From: barry stanley stanley_b@bell.net
Subject: Fwd: [FASD-Canadian-News] Anything for Matty RCMP make man with intellectual disabilities honorary cadet
Date: June 5, 2017 at 12:08 PM
To: Elspeth Ross ax299@ncf.ca [FASD-Canadian-News] FASD-Canadian-News@yahoogroups.com, PSOBA via FASlink
faslink@googlegroups.com
Begin forwarded message:
From: "Elspeth Ross rosse@ncf.ca [FASD-Canadian-News]" <FASD-Canadian-News@yahoogroups.com>
Subject: [FASD-Canadian-News] Anything for Matty RCMP make man with intellectual disabilities honorary cadet
Date: May 30, 2017 at 9M11M15 PM EDT
To: FASD-Canadian-News@yahoogroups.com
Reply-To: FASD-Canadian-News@yahoogroups.com
"...The young Indigenous man has autism, cerebral palsy and fetal alcohol syndrome. He smiles,
grunts and stomps his feet as cadets march in military-like formation for roll call and inspection..."
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/rcmp-indigenous-cadet-1.4129474
CBC news Saskatchewan
VIDEO
'Anything for Matty': RCMP make man with intellectual disabilities honorary cadet
RCMP training academy in Regina carved out special place for 'Matty' in weekly Sergeant Major's
Parade
By Bonnie Allen, CBC Posted: May 29, 2017 3:00 AM CT Last Updated: May 29, 2017 3:12 AM CT
[video] RAW VIDEO: Matty marches with the band in the RCMP Sgt. Major's Parade
CBC News Saskatchewan 00:44
Mathew Brandon, 25, may have the cognitive skills of a three-year old and is unable to speak, but his
adoration for the RCMP is clear.
Their devotion to "Matty" is just as obvious.
Every Tuesday for the past four and a half years, Brandon's guardians have taken him to watch the
Sergeant Major's Parade at the RCMP training academy in Regina, known as the Depot.
[Photo] Matty joins a Sunset Parade at RCMP Depot as cadets shout "Go Matty!". (Chris Gardiner)
The young Indigenous man has autism, cerebral palsy and fetal alcohol syndrome. He smiles, grunts
and stomps his feet as cadets march in military-like formation for roll call and inspection.
Most of all, he loves the brass band. He clutches his iPad and records the band, then watches the
videos over and over.
"It's on repeat. He wakes up to it and goes to bed pretty much watching RCMP parade," said his
caregiver, Shannon Gardiner.
'Matty smiles and he grabs my hand... he's like my little brother.'
- Sgt. Pierre Gosselin, RCMP Depot division

2. I would say that so long as he is perseverating on the RCMP etc then his mind is not filled with his developmentally chaotic, disturbing
resting state mode”
Barry
- Sgt. Pierre Gosselin, RCMP Depot division
"His caregivers say that as long as he maintains a consistent routine, he doesn't have violent episodes
or hysterics."
Brandon proudly sports his own grey and navy cadet uniform with the name tag "Matty" on it. It was
given to him on his 25th birthday, when he was named an "honorary drill member."
"He's part of the family," Cpl. Nathan Olson said. "It's hard to have a bad day when Matty is around —
he's so full of joy and happiness when he's here."
Bending the rules
The Sergeant Major's Parade dates back to 1874 and remains a strictly regimented training exercise
for RCMP cadets. Yet on Tuesdays, if you watch closely, you can see officers bend the rules for just a
moment as they sneak Brandon smiles and waves. Then, at the end, the drill commander takes
Brandon's hand and escorts him in the parade.
He's the only member of the public to be allowed to accompany the band following parade.
"Sometimes, you might have to twist out of the rigid rules of drill and just make him happy. That's
what we want to do, is make him happy," said Sgt. Pierre Gosselin, a former drill unit commander.
[Photo] Sgt. Pierre Gosselin takes time every Tuesday to sit with Matty and watch the Sgt. Major's
Parade. (CBC News)
Brandon's caregivers, Chris and Shannon Gardiner, are grateful and a little amazed that the RCMP
leadership has shown such flexibility within their rigorous protocols.
"This being one of the most rule-based places in Canada, Matty's just allowed to kind of break all
those rules," Chris Gardiner said, shaking his head.
A bright spot in dark times
It all began in 2012.
At 21, Matty was aging out of the foster system. The Gardiners, who had cared for him since he was
six, were reluctant to place him in a government-funded care home.
Brandon's future was uncertain. At 220 lbs., but with the cognitive skills of a three-year-old, Brandon
would become aggravated and at times violent.
The Gardiners insisted on keeping him at home and began the difficult process of negotiating funding
from social services. To pinch pennies, they were looking for free entertainment to keep him busy and
sought it out at the RCMP heritage centre and drill parade.
[Photo] Chris and Shannon Gardiner, Matty's parental caregivers, pose with Matty at RCMP Depot
division. (Chris Graham)
After just one visit, Brandon was obsessed. He loved it so much, the Gardiners took him back the next
week. And the next. And the next.

3. week. And the next. And the next.
His caregivers say that as long as he maintains a consistent routine, he doesn't have violent episodes
or hysterics.
A beautiful friendship
Over time, a friendship evolved with senior officers — Brandon's enthusiasm is too contagious to
resist.
[Photo] Matty and RCMP Depot Division. On Matty's 25th birthday, he was given his own cadet
uniform and made an honorary member of the drill unit. (Chris Graham)
Cpl. Olson looks forward to Tuesday as "Matty's Day" and waits for that moment when Brandon will
rush to his side.
"It took a long time. Matty would just go to the females, most of the time, in uniform, and there was
[distrust] with the men," Olson explained, "But eventually he did come to me after about six months,
so that was a huge day for me when he eventually came and grabbed for my hand."
[Photo] Matty and Cpl. Nathan Olson. Cpl. Nathan Olson felt honoured when Matty finally trusted
him enough to hold his hand. (Chris Gardiner)
Sgt. Pierre Gosselin has been a RCMP officer for 35 years. He spent the first 22 policing in the
community before moving into training roles at Depot. He said he misses interacting with people.
Every Tuesday, he takes time to find Brandon and sit on the sidelines with him.
"Matty smiles and he grabs my hand," Gosselin said, with his own smile. "He's like my little brother."
As a trainer, Gosselin understands that for some cadets, meeting Matty is their first opportunity to
interact with a person with an intellectual disability. Gosselin expects it will help them become better
police officers in the future.
'Mr. Smiles'
A thousand cadets go through the training academy every year, so Brandon's story has trickled
through the ranks.
So much so, that when the RCMP Musical Ride announced it would launch its 2017 season in Regina,
Brandon received a special invitation from Ottawa to attend. His caregivers decided that the night-
time event would be too overwhelming for Brandon but were eager for Sgt. Scott Williamson to give
him a private tour with the horses.
[Photo] Sgt. Scott Williamson introduces Matty to the horses in the RCMP Musical Ride. (Chris
Gardiner)
The Gardiners try to strike a balance between sticking to Brandon's strict routine and introducing him
to new experiences, a struggle they describe in a Facebook page dedicated to his life.
But "Mr. Smiles" – his nickname – seemed impressed and tentatively petted a horse.
Even when things go awry, the Gardiners are comforted by the fact that Brandon will be welcomed
back at his "happy place," as Shannon Gardiner calls the Sergeant Major's Parade, the next Tuesday.
And the next Tuesday.
And the one after that.

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Posted by: Elspeth Ross <rosse@ncf.ca>
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