Current:Home > FinanceDonald Triplett, the 1st person diagnosed with autism, dies at 89-DB Wealth Institute B2 Expert Reviews
Donald Triplett, the 1st person diagnosed with autism, dies at 89
View Date:2024-12-24 10:35:23
FOREST, Miss. — The Mississippi man known as "Case 1," the first person to be diagnosed with autism, has died.
Donald G. Triplett was the subject of a book titled "In a Different Key," a PBS documentary film, BBC news magazine installment and countless medical journal articles.
But to employees at the Bank of Forest, in a small city about 40 miles (64 kilometers) east of Jackson, he was simply "Don," WLBT-TV reported.
Triplett died Thursday, confirmed Lesa Davis, the bank's senior vice president. He was 89.
Triplett worked for 65 years at the bank where his father Beamon Triplett was a primary shareholder.
"Don was a remarkable individual," CEO Allen Breland said of Triplett, who was known as a fiercely independent savant. "And he kept things interesting."
Triplett, a 1958 graduate of Millsaps College, enjoyed golf and travel and was frequently flying to exotic locales, Breland said.
"He was in his own world, but if you gave him two, three-digit numbers, he could multiply them faster than you could get the answer on a calculator," he told the television station.
Triplett's autism diagnosis arose from a detailed 22-page letter sent to a Johns Hopkins researcher in Baltimore containing telling observations by his parents about his aptitudes and behavior. The letter remains a primary reference document for those who study the disorder.
Oliver Triplett, Triplett's nephew, told The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate that his uncle's story offers hope to parents of children who are different.
"They can see Don and a community who embraced him," he said. "As a whole, Forest encouraged him and accepted him. It gives people who have children on different levels of the spectrum hope that their children can live happy and full lives."
Funeral services for Triplett will be at 11 a.m. Monday at the Forest Presbyterian Church.
veryGood! (844)
Related
- Former North Carolina labor commissioner becomes hospital group’s CEO
- Prime Day Alert: Get 46% Off Yankee Candle, Nest, and Chesapeake Bay & More Candles as Low as $5.88
- Travis Kelce’s Brother Jason Reveals One of the “Greatest Things” About Taylor Swift Romance
- Jennifer Lopez Fires Back at Haters Amid Ben Affleck Divorce
- UConn, Kansas State among five women's college basketball games to watch this weekend
- Photos show Florida bracing for impact ahead of Hurricane Milton landfall
- Hoda Kotb Shares Update on 5-Year-Old Daughter Hope One Year After Health Scare
- Louisiana’s Cajun and Creole heritage will be showcased at 50th annual Festivals Acadiens et Creoles
- Congress is revisiting UFOs: Here's what's happened since last hearing on extraterrestrials
- Do you really want an AI gadget?
Ranking
- Lala Kent Swears by This Virgo-Approved Accessory and Shares Why Stassi Schroeder Inspires Her Fall Style
- Climate change boosted Helene’s deadly rain and wind and scientists say same is likely for Milton
- Climate change boosted Helene’s deadly rain and wind and scientists say same is likely for Milton
- Will Hurricane Milton hit Mar-a-Lago? What we know about storm's path and Trump's estate
- Isiah Pacheco injury updates: When will Chiefs RB return?
- First and 10: Even Lincoln Riley's famed offense can't bail USC out of mess
- AI Ω: The Medical Revolution and the New Era of Precision Medicine
- Why Love Is Blind's Tyler Has No Regrets About Ashley Conversations
Recommendation
-
Why Officials Believe a Missing Kayaker Faked His Own Death and Ran Off to Europe
-
This California ballot measure promises money for health care. Its critics warn it could backfire
-
Costco stores selling out of gold bars, survey finds
-
NFL Week 6 odds: Moneylines, point spreads, over/under
-
Monument erected in Tulsa for victims of 1921 Race Massacre
-
Not Sure How To Clean a Dishwasher or Washing Machine? These Pods are on Sale for $15 & Last a Whole Year
-
Mega Millions winning numbers for October 8 drawing: Jackpot rises to $129 million
-
Costco stores selling out of gold bars, survey finds