Mom transforms military uniforms into free autism aids

ELGIN, S.C. — Crystal Lyons says soon after her 3-year-old son, John, stopped talking, they discovered he had autism.

"Its nothing like watching your son say mom and then he can't say it anymore," she said. "We never thought there was anything wrong with him. We've got videos of him laughing and playing. He would follow instructions, he would look right at you. And then it was like he was walking backwards. He was taking steps backwards. There was no more 'Mama,' no more 'Da da,' he literally just went into this shell and we were at this point where we didn't know what to do."

John also was having trouble focusing during sign-language classes. In a desperate effort to provide him with a sense of calm and security, Lyons decided to get her son a weighted vest. But the calming devices were all hundreds of dollars, and insurance wouldn't cover the cost.

"My husband took it really hard when (John) couldn't talk anymore," she said. "And there was a point in me where I eventually had to tell myself he may not talk."

So she decided to make her own vest.

"Then I told my husband, 'You know what? I bet I could use all those uniforms you have, and a sewing machine just costs 100 dollars,'" she said.

John, wearing his drill sergeant daddy's uniform weighted with rolls of pennies, started making strides.

"I think at that point he had maybe three signs," Lyons said. "And then within the month of having this vest and being able to pay attention he had over like 50 signs."

John also began to talk again.

Lyons decided then that no child who needs a weighted vest should have to go without one. She began making and shipping them to families for free.

And the military donations flowed in. Hundreds of uniforms from around the country — and the world.

"I can legitimately say some of these uniforms have been to war," she said. "They've been to Iraq, they've been to Afghanistan, they've been to Kuwait."

And thanks to Lyons, now over 130 kids from around the world have a vest, ready to face their own battles.

"I just woke up one day and was like, 'I'm gonna call it Vests for Visionaries,'" she said. "Because that's what these kids are. They think outside the box, and they really are the visionaries of the future."

A future that's looking brighter for John, and many more kids like him.

To learn more about Vests for Visionaries, donate or request a vest, click here.

To like Vests for Visionaries on Facebook, click here.