Son-Rise: A Miracle of Love

Son-Rise: A Miracle of Love is a televised docudrama film that aired on NBC in 1979 and is adapted by the biographical book Son-Rise (currently Son-Rise: The Miracle Continues) by Barry Neil Kaufman. It is the real-life story of how, according to his parents, Raun Kaufman completely recovered from severe autism. The film was directed by Glenn Jordan and the teleplay was written by Stephen Kandel, Samahria Lyte Kaufman, and Barry Neil Kaufman. The film tells of Bears and Suzie Kaufman and their newly born son, Raun. By the time he was eighteen months old, Raun was diagnosed with a perpetual disability known as classic autism—which, at the time, was classified as a form of childhood schizophrenia—and had mental retardation. Accordingly, "although advised to institutionalize Raun, his parents...instead created an innovative home-based, child-centered program in an effort to reach [him]." Subsequently, Raun became typical of neural development and earned his master's degree from Brown University. The film went on to receive the Humanitas Prize award. The therapeutic, distraction play therapy progressed into a teaching model called The Son-Rise Program. By 1983, Bears and Samahria Kaufman founded The Option Institute and the Autism Treatment Center of America in Berkshire County, Massachusetts. Raun, his family and other staff members currently serve on the board of directors.