By Ken Sakamoto, Star-Bulletin
David Beatovich has been named Lanakila
Rehabilitation Center's adult day program
client of the year.
Autistic achiever
keeps eyes on the prizeDavid Beatovich, 32,
By Crystal Kua
is climbing over the wall that
has kept him isolated
from the world
Star-BulletinDavid Beatovich usually arrives at work about a half-hour before his 7 a.m. starting time.
After making his way to the company cafeteria, Beatovich, with cake or toast in hand, sits at a table and greets folks as they trickle into the building to begin their day.
"Good morning. How ya doin'?" he calls out to some. "How was your evening?" he asks others, referring to each person by name.
For the 32-year-old Beatovich, who is autistic, this morning ritual is a way of climbing over a wall that in the past has kept him isolated from the world.
Beatovich will be honored today as Lanakila Rehabilitation Center's adult day program client of the year along with other achievers at the center's annual board of trustees meeting.
During his 10 years of learning vocational skills at Lanakila, Beatovich was aiming for the honor. "He got in his mind that that's what he wanted to be," Lanakila work trainer Gertrudes Lechuga said.
Lanakila staff members and Beatovich's mother, Leona Lewis, tried to keep the achievement a secret until a couple of days before the awards luncheon so that Beatovich wouldn't be distracted while at work.
But Beatovich was one step ahead of them all.
"I'm employee of the year," he announced without being told, as he flashed a beaming smile.
Beatovich's friendly demeanor nowadays is part of the reason for his receiving the award. But the situation was strikingly different a year ago.
"From a very grouchy person to a very reliable one," Lanakila activities trainer and Lechuga's husband, Mariano, said.
Beatovich, however, was more than just grumpy.
His behavior at times was violent, especially to himself.
"Every time he doesn't want something, he throws himself on the floor, he bounces himself on the wall, or he goes outside and says, 'I quit,'" Gertrudes Lechuga said.
"With autism, you tend to live behind a wall," Lewis said.
Autism is the result of a neurological disorder that affects the functioning of the brain, according to the Autism Society of America.
People with autism have difficulties communicating with others and relating with the world outside.
But a year ago, Beatovich came under the tutelage of the Lechugas and Adult Day Program coordinator Rodrigo Almosara in Lanakila's basement training center.
Beatovich has since blossomed into a responsible, productive and pleasant person to be around at home and at work, his supervisors and mother said.
The most noticeable difference is that Beatovich is more outgoing, greeting everyone he meets and calling them by name.
"He's no longer the shy type. He really enjoys what he's doing," Lanakila President James Wakafuji said.
"I think what makes him happy is a sense of belonging," Gertrudes Lechuga said.
On Wednesday, Beatovich was assembling and packaging hula doll outfits.
With his trademark stereo headphones hugging his tight haircut, Beatovich matched a blue doll-size lei with a blue halter top and then taped both directly above a green grass skirt already secured to a piece of cardboard.
He carefully slid the ensemble into a clear plastic package, placed a label on top and stapled everything shut.
He does this about 100 times a day.
His main motivation to get the job done is a capitalistic one.
"David, what do you get if you work harder?" Mariano Lechuga asked him.
"More paycheck," Beatovich responded with a widening smile.
His mother said the added responsibility of a paycheck has allowed her son to venture out on his own on the city bus and go shopping.
Besides his regular assembly duties, Beatovich also takes attendance and stands guard over the office radio. Even with his headphones on, Beatovich immediately knows when someone has changed the station.
But he appears to be most at ease when he's allowed to get back to work.
