Washington, DC · 2026 | Photographs by Lynn Johnson
A Photo Essay
Kindred
Two young adults with severe autism and catatonia, the mothers who fought to keep them alive, and the week they were finally in the same room.
Photographs by Lynn Johnson
Jadyne and Luke are in their twenties. Both live with severe autism and catatonia, a condition that can turn fatal without the regular ECT treatment that keeps them well. Their mothers, Jackie and Christine, found each other online years ago, two women a thousand miles apart trading everything they learned about keeping their children alive.
In July 2026, as part of the NCSA Authentic Awareness Autism Assembly, both families brought their children to Washington to push for CMS reform and to ask Congress to recognize the caregivers of severely affected adults as a population of their own. Jadyne and Luke, meeting for the first time, seemed to know each other, and when one grew distressed, the other reached over. Photojournalist Lynn Johnson stayed close through all of it.
Sophie, a young woman with severe autism, looks out over the photographs of children who could not travel to Washington. Last year, Luke could only be present as one of these photographs.Christine holds Jadyne close, her headphones on, while Luke stims beside them.Jackie cups Jadyne's face in the hall, helping her come back from a wave of dysregulation.At breakfast, Jadyne embraces Luke while their families fill their plates for the day ahead.Jadyne helps hand out materials to arriving guests as the event begins.Jackie presents a Papito's Purpose grant to Lydia Rios, an NCSA Mother's Day honoree, for her twin sons' ABLE account. Luke watches wearing the event shirt with the quote by William James on the back: "Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does."Luke proudly films his mother, Christine, as she gives her acceptance speech for the Phoenix Award.Luke shows the drawings that earn him the Artist of the Year award.Luke gives his acceptance speech, his award in hand, Christine assisting by his side.Jadyne receives her VIP award on stage, Jackie in the background smiling as her daughter takes center stage.Jadyne, beaming, shows off her award for the cameras.Luke leans in to share what Jadyne is watching, Christine smiling behind her camera, Jackie looks on resting her head on her hand.At the table, Christine and Luke clap along, celebrating the other award winners.Christine and Jackie look over the Hill Day plans, Jadyne in front of them and Luke just behind.Jadyne smiles as an officer runs the security wand past her raised badge.A congressional staffer greets Luke and Christine.In a Colorado congressional office, a staffer listens as Christine and Luke work as a team to make their case for change.Christine and Luke show a congressional staffer the materials backing their asks of Congress.Luke rests on a couch in a Senate lounge while the roll call plays overhead.Outside Senator Hickenlooper's office, Luke and Christine pause together after the meeting.In the elevator, Jackie pulls Jadyne into a close, quiet hug.Outside the hotel, Jadyne rests against Jackie after an elopement attempt as other families from the event come to help while giving them space.Jadyne lies still on the pavement while Luke approaches to ask her what's wrong.Not ready to rise, Jadyne stays low, so the others come down to her level and wait. Luke shows her his badge, signaling to her he is a friend.Many hands reach down at once, and it is Luke's that Jadyne takes.Jadyne rests against the open car door as Luke reassures her.
“In Colorado, Luke is described on paper as the most dangerous and scariest of autistic students. But for a few days in Washington, DC, he was someone’s kindred spirit.”
Christine, Luke’s mother
Outside the Capitol, Jim Rich, dad to Zack, balances a box on his head as he, Jadyne, and Cristina Gaudio walk to thank Senator Murphy and the Capitol Police.In Senator Chris Murphy's office, Cristina Gaudio holds up an NCSA shirt as the group returns to say thank you.She then shows the staff a portrait of Zack, thanking them for their kindness to him the day before. (See: "A Profound Day on Capitol Hill" on the NCSA blog for full details.)Jim Rich, Zack's dad, reassures Jadyne that the sticker officers she has eagerly waited for are just ahead.Jadyne shows Jackie the stickers she just received from the Capitol Police.A Capitol Police bike-patrol officer gently takes Jadyne's hand, the moment slowing to her pace.Capitol Police Bike Patrol surprise Jadyne with a special-edition commemorative challenge coin.By day's end, Jadyne wears every medal and sticker she was given, quietly proud.Later, at the zoo, Jadyne sits to gather herself while a member of an attached documentary crew captures the moment, giving her space.Luke shows Jadyne his hurt knee.Jadyne kneels to bandage Luke's scraped knees. This time, she is the helper.
“Every program and every hospital in Tennessee has turned Jadyne away for being ‘too severe’ to serve, yet she has the most nurturing soul I have ever known. I think Jadyne and Luke recognized in each other exactly what so much of society gets wrong about them.”
Jackie, Jadyne’s mother
Luke and Jadyne walk the path together, just the two of them.Christine, Luke, and Jadyne walk hand in hand, no one letting go first.
“Very few words were spoken between them in their three days together, but a bond was being forged. When she was having a hard time on the sidewalk, despite the presence of experienced caregivers, it was only him she allowed to help her. Later, she noticed his scraped-up knees, and it was her turn to nurture. She trusted HIM. He trusted HER. Kindred spirits indeed. This is authentic autism awareness.”
Christine, Luke’s mother
In memory of Kreed and Anthony, who were lost before anyone knew that catatonia had been the answer all along.
Lynn Johnson has spent four decades photographing subjects that resist easy telling, including language, illness, and human resilience, with more than forty feature stories for National Geographic and earlier work for LIFE and Sports Illustrated. A two-time Pulitzer finalist, National Geographic Explorer, and recipient of the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award, she works to find the human moments most people look past.
