Autistic swimmer focused on creating awareness

MBOMBELA – In the pool he is poetry in motion, focusing stroke for stroke as he aims to add another medal to his out-of-this-world tally. Out of the pool he is reserved, quiet and spends his time in front of a computer screen more often than not.
Raymond de Freitas (25) is one of the Lowveld’s swimming superstars who has Asperger’s syndrome, a form of autism, which has made his journey an emotional roller coaster filled with success and frustration.
He has travelled to Italy, Israel and New Caledonia to represent his country and has collected more swimming medals than his drawers in his room can handle. Posters of South African swimming heroes, Ryk Neethling and Chad le Clos, adorn his room along with a host of achievements that symbolise his path from autistic trouble child to successful swimming sensation.
According to his mother, Mena, when he was born he looked like a healthy child. That all changed after 18 months when signs began showing that something might be different.
“At first we thought that he was deaf as he did not communicate verbally. When we took him to the doctors, the soundproof rooms petrified him. At this time there was no knowledge of autism and this made it frustrating,” she said.
“Raymond was denied a proper education at first. We really struggled to get him into a school that understood his condition and was willing to help. Things started to change when he enrolled at Dasha at age 12,” said his mom, Mena, who has supported her child through various hardships.
Raymond works at Dasha Foundation in the workshop where he creates mosaic artwork and develops his other great talents.
His artwork has even taken his immediate family to Israel when he won an international competition at age 12 entitled “Children of the World illustrate the Bible.”
“We could not believe when Raymond won the competition for his Noah’s Ark painting
in 1999.”
“It remains one of my highlights and greatest experiences,” added Raymond.
Raymond took to swimming like a duck to water and instantly showed a talent for the pool after he had been introduced to the sport at a gala event.
“In the beginning I did not touch the end of the pool after a lap and got disqualified in my first few events. Eventually I got used to the rules,” he said.
It is Raymond’s meticulous nature that shines through in his swimming. He keeps record of all his personal best times on documents and spreadsheets and aims to qualify for the 2016 Paralympics. This focused and determined mentality has so far led to an unprecedented haul of medals for the swimming hero.
According to Mena, Raymond spoke his first words at age five and has been developing his social skills every year since then, but he still struggles in certain situations.
“I cannot handle shouting and conflict and struggle when people are talking at the same time,” he said.
According to Mena, one learns how to react to Raymond in certain situations and she knows his strong and weak points.
“One of the things that worked at an early age with Raymie was to write short little notes to communicate as autistic children struggle verbally. They respond better to written language.”
For now he is fully focused on his swimming and will look to rewrite more record books and be an inspiration to those with autism.