Spectators Stay Silent So Autistic Teen Can Watch His Sister Play For The First Time

Mar 24, 2023

It’s not every day you get to see a community put its needs aside to help just one person. So when a story surfaced of a crowd at a Wisconsin school banding together to help one boy with autism support his sister in person during a sports match for the first time, hearts melted everywhere.

In October 2022, Mosinee High School senior Melina Carattini was gearing up for her last high school volleyball tournament but this time, a very special guest was present. For the first time, her brother, Payton Carattini, who has autism, was there to watch her play. Payton has autism and is incredibly sensitive to sound, leaving him unable to support his sister at past matches due to the usual noise of the crowds. 

According to the Kennedy Krieger Institute, many autistic individuals suffer from extreme sensitivity to sensory stimuli, such as sound, lights and touch. It said up to 90% of persons with autism “either ignore or overreact to ordinary sights, sounds, smells or other sensations.” Meanwhile, the National Autism Association stated those with autism who are highly sensitive to sound can be more than just a mild issue for many families.

“Some families refrain from going out in public because of sound response or extreme phobias related to sound. Others may rely on earmuffs from the local hardware store, or take extreme measures to avoid sound triggers. In school, gym class or other noisy settings may impede focus or cause escalation,” it said.

Despite this being very much the case with Payton, the Mosinee community decided there was a way they could help the teen finally get to watch his sister play. They hit upon a solution – they would remain as silent as possible.

During Melina’s game, the crowd remained quiet while her brother was present, with only the sounds of the players speaking to one another and the blows of a whistle filling the school gym. Payton was seated in the bleachers with his family, wearing a custom T-shirt that read, “That’s my sister! #7” and holding a placard of his sister’s face. Payton also wore a large pair of headphones to help cancel out any unwanted sound. Payton wasn’t the only one happy to finally get to watch one of his sister’s matches. His father, Jesse Carattini, was overjoyed by the crowd’s sweet gesture. 

Jesse told WSAW-TV he felt the move was “special, very special.” He said in the past, Payton had no choice but to wait until the family returned home after a match to find out how his sister had done.

“You know you tell him, when you get back home, you tell him how the game went. She played good, things like that. Many times, if it’s far away, we’re able to watch some of the games,” Jesse said. 

He added being able to share the moment with his son was thrilling and a joy. “To be able to have him there – and everybody show love – it was just very, very exciting and emotional,” Jesse remarked.

However, the crowd went back to its regular sporting commotion when Payton left after the eighth point. Clips from the match showed fans screaming and hollering with joy as Mellina scored a point. Mellina’s team eventually emerged victorious in the match, scoring 3-1 against their opponents from Marathon High School.

What do you think of the kind gesture by the crowd at the high school? If this story warmed your heart, pass it on to others to make their day as well.