A College Student with Down Syndrome and his Autistic Roommate
2019 ж. 11 Қар.
2 461 426 Рет қаралды
Blake is a college student with Down syndrome and Tanner is his autistic roommate. Together the two are living, learning and creating memories that will last a lifetime.
Blake and Tanner are part of a program for students with intellectual disabilities who desire a postsecondary experience on a college campus. Learn more at www.clemson.edu/education/res....
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This Tanner from Love on the Spectrum season 2 on Netflix. I loved this guy. Blake and Frankie are the sweetest friends to him.
Yes ❤
I want to see that show. Theres a sweet couple Abbey and David and they are so cute❤ These 2 college buddies are BFFs
I love that show and he has a great personality.
It’s my favorite show on Netflix I love the Australian version too. Hope they make more
Isn't he the sweetest??
'what is it like to be you? 'it's great' 'why?' 'because i love myself' Life lesson right there.
if only all of us could feel like that
@@autumn0-032 :¨)
fr
Wholesome thinking
Bro their brains works slower than ours , of course they gonna say they love their life cz they cant think about the reality behind them
I'm autistic, and I tend to be very reserved and quiet, usually have a book or a sketchpad in my hand, can be a little moody and impatient . . . and then there's Tanner, who's all like, "WE'RE GONNA HAVE PIZZA AND CAKE AND EVERYTHING IS AWESOME!" XD I love how much variability there is on the spectrum. We're all so unique and different, and there's something kind of great about that.
That’s me and my friend, my friend and I have ADHD She is quite at times, but is really funny and I’m over here like HI I WANNA DO THIS AND I WANNA EAT THIS, OH WE SHOULD GO HERE, etc lol
You are loved too! Pizza is my favorite food! I also love hot wings!
I have autism too, and I'm extremely outgoing. I literally get in trouble with my parents because I talk too much.
This is the best comment ever 💜💜💜
I have autism but I appear neurotypical on the outside mostly. Really enjoyed this video.
“I wish I could change my mind” that was heavy, that made my soul hurt
Been looking for this comment it made me so sad
Yeah, he seems very sad. He definitely understands everything negative going on around him and that definitely has had an impact, that's why he says his mind.
Man. It was brutal to hear. Because you can tell that he hears it all the time that his disability is not a bad thing and that he should think positively, but then he gets picked on for being different and all he wants is to learn and get smarter every day but it's just so difficult. I feel for this man
But it is also such a profoundly wise thing to say.
It hit me in the feels too…he doesn’t need to change a thing though, he seems a really great guy and has bags of personality.
Chris- “what would you change?” Blake- “my mind.” I feel you Blake. I feel you dog.
I too would like to change my mind
dog? is this an english epression or are you being disrespectful sorry im not totally fluent in english yet.....
@@ImLiterallySoup It's an expression, like 'bro' or 'man'.
@@ImLiterallySoup when you use it you should spell it like "dawg"
@@kevinl9075 oh ok thank you !
Tanner is a golden retreiver in human form
Yeah
More like a pitbull
@@TargetedIndividuallivesmatter Why do you say that? I love all dog breeds, but pitbulls are more seen as singularly defensive attack dogs, and golden retrievers are seen as "family dogs". I think you extrapolating that information to a human being is confusing at best without further clarification.
Pitibulls are actually very loveable and friendly and exciting or relaxed, they just have negative public sterotype.
@@Cc-fh1io I agree, I own one and she is the most loving cuddly dog ever.
blake wishing he could change his own mind really hurts. we've really let down so many of our own.
or maybe he wants to change his own mind because having down syndrome is very challenging and affects everything in your life and wishing to not have it isn't wrong, and having down syndrome isn't wrong either. Im sure you can understand that and not feel like he shouldnt wish for a different mind like cmon really....
You know, I saw a documentary about such people and how developement of their mind differs, depending on how much mental training and such they do, the earlier the better. Hearing such statement from Blake, means he has a deeper understanding of his situation. He is able to self-reflect. That's something even many normal people lack (sas but true). That's quite impressive! To some it might sounds sad, because they try to understand what he feels in that moment and I agree, that might be sad, but I think that sad stement is a good sign, if you know what I mean. Cheers!
As someone that also lives with a disability I can completely get why he would say that, it’s really really frustrating and hard at times. Just like people without disabilities have things that are really hard and frustrating. I feel like being overly sympathetic of his struggles and turning a negative emotion or experience he has into some big complicated dramatic sad thing is almost like infantilizing, i don’t know if that’s the right word but it’s like you’re still treating him differently. Im pretty sure almost everyone experiences negative emotions about the things they can’t do or the things they have had deal with in their lives. I mostly just don’t understand why you’re saying “we’ve really let down so many of our own” like what do you mean?
@@user-fm3tr3oe1k What I assume they meant was something along the lines that we as humans tend to treat those who don’t fit the narrative of normal in undeserving ways, which leads to them having a lesser experience of life in general. The statement “I wish I was normal” is something we hear way too much. Sure, everyone has their personal struggles not perse caused by others. That’s not a concept we should make a special thing for neurodivergent people, cause I can see how that could feel like a form of alienation. The comment you were questioning was most likely targeted at the weight built upon those already existing personal struggles from societal prejudice.
There’s a part of an episode where his mom said he used to be angry all the time and would try to “fix” his autism but when she stopped trying to “fix” him he switched and was happier; EPISODE 3 Season 2; idk that just really inspired me and put me at ease for some reason even though I’m not autistic. Idk maybe just imagining the relief he felt when he was no longer being made to feel like something was “wrong” w him, reminds me how many of us are too hard on ourselves and feel like it’s wrong to be our true selves so we always try to fix ourselves and maybe if we stopped/calm down a bit we’d be happier…idk just putting this here in case someone needs it and it hopefully helps esp. those who are autistic.😌🤷🏻♀️
“I don’t really wish for anything, I have everything I need here.” We can all take a lesson from these awesome guys. 🙏🏼
And blake said he would change his mind, and that's ok too
They're both so inspiring, I hope they know how much they are valued and treasured! I bet they are awesome roommates too. I enjoyed your interview with these guys so much, thank you for sharing your gifts! ❤
ok but if im starving i'd wish for food
"He teaches us how to play HALO" got me! Great dudes, all three of them
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@@autumn-6244 found it in like 2 seconds.
man they actually seem so cool, i wanna be friends with them bro
Right? I was thinking the same thing!
they are real ones
Right! They would probably be better than any friends I've ever had. They don't judge you. Very sweet!
@@silverbullett6684 Honestly genuine friends are hard to find these boys would be better company than half the people I've ever come across
@@DioBrando-ln1to amen to that!
Blake and Tanner stayed in my building when I lived on campus; I use to pass Blake everyday coming from class. They seem like great friends. Glad they were able to live together, have some independence, and a college experience!
Thank you for sharing that 💝💐🦋
Man they are strong for sure
I would love to have them as neighbors.
What college? Did they have a program for people with disabilities?
@@katherinedupoise4604 Im guessing Clemson, since that's what's on Blake's shirt. If so, then yes, they have a program for people with disabilities. Its called ClemsonLIFE :)
I normally don't comment on KZhead videos, but I was so overjoyed when I learned that SBSK got their comments back! I keep coming back to this specific video because I love Blake and Tanner's friendship. I really hope that they're doing well during the pandemic (and that their friendship is still going strong)!
Exactly the same.
Yes keep commenting! It helps the algorithm to spread their videos. This is the good stuff on this channel - the very best of us.
It's hard not to leave a positive comment when watching these videos .. love it
I !ove these guys!
I feel the same way.
I saw this young man on a dating on the autism spectrum show recently. He’s super friendly and enjoyed learning more about him and his roommate.
He has a girlfriend?
@@katherinedupoise4604 it was a reality dating television series,I don’t believe he wound up with a “girlfriend”.
No, he was on a tv show on Netflix, he is trying to start dating but new to it, so the tv show explores him starting to try dating@@katherinedupoise4604
he is so cute
2 minutes in, and Tanner astounds me with his honesty - he's basically able to tell it as it is, unfiltered, while being incredibly courteous, nice, and positive. He's awesome.
Absolutely love Tanner
The way tanners eyes light up every time that Blake speaks it makes me so happy
Blake saying “yes sir” to his best friend is so endearing and sweet❤️
This is the video that made me cry. Doesn’t matter who you are, everyone knows what friendship is and everyone needs it.
I live in a country, where there is not much help for people with disabilities, they are often being isolated, children in schools do not learn about diversity and disabilities. When I saw this video and got to know, that people with intellectual disabilities can be in a college and that there is a special assistant, who helps them to live an independent life I was shocked, in a positive way of course. I wish it was a norm everywhere in the world. The bond between Blake and Tanner is beautiful:)
Im still looking for colleges ahead of time currently as I have autism and I live in America and I don't wanna leave country so im looking for some good school...its good to know colleges do have assistance but looking for one has taken me a year...I started looking in tenth grade and im going to eleventh...where I live there isn't really much but there is some help and fun programs.
@@Th3_Int3rn3t_RuIn3d_M3_ I don't know what part of the US you're in, but one school called Rutgers University (New Jersey) is pretty nice for students with different disabilities. We have an office of disabilities where you can apply for accomodations for exams, attendance, and sometimes in housing. There are notetakers who can take notes for people with severe conditions too. There's lots of majors and clubs to pick from and the Douglass campus is very quiet and rural.
Why do people in Poland need to learn about “diversity”? It has its own native ethnic group.
@@Th3_Int3rn3t_RuIn3d_M3_ Vermont Technical College used to do an excellent job at providing support for its autistic students. I don't know if that's still the case, but might be worth checking into.
@@glebsokolov2366 She didn't mean ethnic diversity.
PLEASE Chris, interview these fine young gentleman again! I would love to see how they are doing now during this pandemic! Two of my favorite SBSK friends!
You might be interested to know that Tanner is on the second season of the Netflix show “Love on the Spectrum” 😊
@@meganrosbury3504 what abt Blake do you know anything new abt him
I’m so glad to have the most wholesome comment section back, im crying
Ikr
5:12 You can see how Blake breathes in too. Man you can tell they support each other during hard times in their daily basis. Wholesome, I've watched this interview so many times. It brings pure joy.
Thank you for timestamping this bc I was almost at that part of the vid when I saw your comment. I probably would've missed it otherwise. Such a small gesture that succinctly highlights their bond ❤ So sweet and wholesome, I teared up a bit
It also brings me a ton of joy
They way the constantly complement each other is so heartwarming. So happy to have the comments back!
Tanner has taught everyone a very very very valuable lesson today. If you dont know something, just ask. Living a life of ignorance is not the way. Good job Tanner.
Blake just seems like an amazing person. Really captured my attention. Quiet, but when he speaks he spits wisdom and maturity that many college students don't.
Fr! Thinking he’d be an excellent philosophy major haha!
It’s my 21ST birthday today and I was upset at the fact that my birthdays on a Tuesday and it won’t be as fun to get drunk and go out clubbing and hearing him say all he wanted for his 21ST was pizza and cake made me feel so ungrateful and humbled me . I have now made plans to spend this day with my family ❤️ these two are amazing !!
👍
Exactly and I always feel bad that mine was during the pandemic and I didn’t drink at all cause I was just with my parents and didn’t see anyone else because of covid but this guy really knows what life is truly about 🥺
@@elizabethrose104 that might just have saved your life though.. I believe everything happens for a reason.
You can party another day ;) birthdays are a concept anyway, if you don't like the season you're birthday is in, just celebrate it a few months later. No worries. I'm an autumn child, end of October. It's shitty to celebrate because you have to do something indoors. So I decided to celebrate together with my partner on midsommar :) the friends love it too because who doesn't like a BBQ? 😁
Every so often when it all gets a bit too much I come back to this video. It gives me a lot of happiness and I get very nice emotions form it. Thanks Blake & Tanner.
i came back to this video today because i had a bad day.
This comment is some much more wholesome coming from "lionelrichtea" 🤣
I agree. This is great
Me too ✌🏼 Always makes me feel better and puts a huge smile on my face 😊
i usually go to the video of the zebra getting their nose bitten off by crocodiles... that makes me a bit happier i guess.
Tanner … national treasure. We must protect him at all cost
"Were gonna have pizza and we are gonna have cake" The most inspiring words of a legend edit :thx for the likes but what in da world is going on in the replies section?
@Philip Nguyen really man??
What was the word that you've just said?
*the other guy nods with approval*
@@METALHEAD-fh8qc do u know what a joke is
@Philip Nguyen not these guys bruh
OMG I love these two. Tanner is energetic and happy while Blake is low key and laid back. A perfect combination! Isaac is a godsend with FANTASTIC eyebrows. 😂 Great interview!
I LOVE how comfortable Tanner is with saying "I don't understand". I'm pretty neurotypical, and its so hard for me to ask for help.
"we're gonna have pizza, there's gonna be cake!" "is there anything else you want, if you could have anything?" "not really!" LOVE his attitude.
It’s so interesting that Tanner is super happy to express himself and give his true feelings, that’s honestly great to see
" If you could change one thing what would you change?" The fact that he said his mind kind of broke my heart a little bit.
When Blake was asked if he could change one thing in the world and said “My mind”. Wow. The average person seldom sees themselves as something they wish to change in the world… What a special and genuine couple of guys.
Their positivity is infectious...hope these guys are doing well!
My man Tanner is so confident, I wish I was as confident as he is. He's right, everyone should feel good about themselves for being nice and polite. Those are qualities that are not easy to find in people. I think his confidence really complements Blake's more subdued demeanor too. These two are like the epitome of an introvert and an extrovert balancing each other's personality and being perfect together. Such a positive interview!
I'm an autistic college student and I love seeing this friendship 💖
"Is it great to be you?" "Yes it's great to be me." "Why?" "Because I love myself." HECK YEAH. There are people out there who are rich, good looking, smart and still they don't love themselves. That's not greatness.
"I wouldn't wish for anything because I have everything right here" We need more people like Tanner in this world 🥺
I was watching love on the spectrum and I recognized Tanner from somewhere. Nice to see more of him! This is one of my favourite videos from the channel.
Yeah I clicked on the video because I recognised him!
Same!!! I love Tanner!!
When Blake said that he want to change his mind, it really hurt. It makes me take for granted the life I have. These two have figured out life more than I have.
Anybody here after seeing tanner on love on the spectrum?
Me!!!
I feel for these boys. We all know how mean people can be, and take advantage of others innocence.
I knew I recognized Tanner from somewhere after watching the recent season of Love on the Spectrum! I wish him nothing but the best of luck to find true love
I'm autistic, high functioning and l wish the best for this guy. He seems lovely and so bright and positive. I feel for Blake but I'm glad they have a friendship that is beyond what many could hope for.
Tanner is such a Golden Retriever.
I KNEW HE LOOKED SO SO SO FAMILIAR !! ❤❤ AHHH this season of LOS🧩 is so good bc of Tanner !!
These two young men could teach the world a thing or two about friendships, loyalty and love.
What a beautiful bond between friends.
Hello Tanner and Blake. You two seem like really good friends. Thank you for coming and sharing about yourself with us.
Watching "Love on the Spectrum" season two. Absolutely love seeing Tanner again 4 years later! Wishing him luck on his dating journey! :)
Who wouldn’t wanna be friends with these guys? They seem cool as heck
It IS okay to be wrong, and it’s okay to ask as many questions as you need to! Such wisdom from these dudes!
What is it like to be you? "It is great to be me" Why? "Because I love myself" This is amazing
I agree. You can tell he loves himself, he radiates pure joy. I wish I had more self love like him. It’s really a beautiful thing to see.
I can't believe Tanner is on Love on The Spectrum now!! I knew I recognized him, he is a breath of fresh air.
Tanner! I knew you looked familiar! Watching you on Love on the Spectrum right now 4 years later.
Oh, I thought you were gonna say he looks like Jon Cryer, cause that was my first thought
Glad to have a huge part of the community back and able to comment again
I’m a special education teacher & I hope my students have a living opportunity such as theirs on a college campus. These two young men seem like wonderful roommates. Isaac made a great point. You don’t have to be a superhero to work with people with disabilities. They are warm and sweet and kind and will bring out the best qualities in you.
Blake and Tanner are yin and yang. Tanner is outgoing and energetic while Blake is so mellow and laid back. They complement each other perfectly!
Just saw Tanner on Love on the Spectrum! He’s so positive and awesome 😊
I LOVE how much they compliment eachother, and how sweet they are to eachother it's so sweet
A round of applause for Isacc as well and all the people out there that make people's lives a little more bearable.
Oh man, they are so cute! you can notice how much Isaac is doing a great job being their ILA and a good friend. Also, I love Blake and Tanner's friendship. That video just melted my heart
Tanner was on the most recent season of Love on the Spectrum
He said..."I'd change my mind". Wow! That is quite deep. These boys are golden.
I KNEW that I recognized Tanner from somewhere other than Love On The Spectrum. I had watched this video back when it was released. ❤
These two young men are soul brothers, I’m glad they have a strong emotional connection.
Tanner saying he feels more confident then asking what confident meant again, that was so cute
When I heard that the comments are back on, I immediately rushed to this video because this is my absolute favorite! These guys are awesome! How they found and compliment each other is amazing. What a pure and true friendship! Isaac is definitely not lying when he says these two are the best roommates he's ever had.
Boy am I glad I checked out youtube today. My eldest sister is 32years with severe Down syndrome symptoms. I am not very convinced she couldn't be as independent as these two given she has had no access to special needs services. My parents once placed her in a boarding school for special needs kids (run by catholic sisters) but withdrew her after she was physically abused on several occasions for being "disobedient" and bedwetting. I love her to pieces. Spare a thought for all special needs persons in developing countries with little or no access to care.
I KNEW I RECOGNIZED HIM ON LOVE ON THE SPECTRUM! I saw Tanner here first. So cool! What an awesome dude.
His ability to simply ask to explain something because he doesn't understand is next level stuff, imagine if everyone you knew did that. We would always all be on the same page.
One of my favorite SBSKs so far. These guys must be a lot of fun to hang out with.
I think if we had more extended families & less mobile communities we would be more aware of how much fun it is to have a variety of people in our lives.
I was so happy to be able to come back to this video after seeing Tanner on Love on the Spectrum. I said out loud to my mom, "I've seen him before!" I like the part where he says he is happy to be autistic because it is not a bad thing. I used to think my autism was a bad thing, but I know it's not because of this channel and shows like love on the spectrum.
Tanner is absolutely a gem to this world. We are so lucky to have him in this world.
Tanner is now part of a netflix series called Love on the spectrum. He is amazing in it. So adorable
Thankyou so much for this video. My adult son is Autistic and this video has made me feel less alone. There are others like him. What a lovely set of people. God Bless you all xxx❤️
They are lovely. I wish we had more extended families & communities. I'd love to hang out with them at a family party.
I’m watching the new season of Love On The Spectrum and knew I recognised Tanner from somewhere! It wasn’t until I saw his house and his roommates that I knew it was from here! Rooting for him!
Tanner! He was awesome on 'Love on the Spectrum'. Such a happy guy.
He was one of my favorites. Whenever he was on the screen you just instantly smiled.
tanner is really smart for his disability i think it only affects his speech cause he seems emotionally intelligent
Tanner is such a LOVELY person. I watched him on a show called "Love On The Spectrum". He is always so happy. Of course Blake is lovely too!!
OMG ITS TANNER I LOVE HIM SO MUCH
If everyone had a friendship like Blake and Tanner’s, the world would be a better place. I hope they never lose contact with each other.
They have the Purest of hearts these 2. My son is autistic and he wouldn't fly.
This is one of my favorite sbsk videos. Their friendship melts me. Such genuine love for one another. It's so special. I feel blessed to be able to witness it through this video.
I have a cousin who is autistic and I havent been able to see him for over 10 years. He taught me so much about compassion patience and empathy. I miss him
I just started Love on the Spectrum and KNEW I had seen Tanner before. It was from this interview! Such a lovely, bright soul.
I've seen that aspies feels easy and good around people with downs this tells something, they are pure and bring peace❤️
Probably because another disabled person won't judge as much as a neurotypical or able-bodied person and autistic people don't have to mask as much around them.
People with Downs Syndrome are Earth Angels of Peace. ❤
I don’t. I feel good around people of my kind
I have spent my life looking for friends like this and these guys showed me I’m looking to the wrong type of people.
BEAUTIFUL SOULS no ego, no trying to put one over..just being...lot to earn from these people...
Tanner is a beacon of pure goodness for all of humanity ❤
5:10 I felt that!!! Deep breaths are such a cool mechanism to calm down and refocus. I definitely encourage that in my students. Tanner was one of my favourite cast members
SO PSYCHED to have comments back 🥰 This is one of my favorite SBSK videos so far. These guys are so pure and positive and I want to hang out with them.
This video inspired me to make a change in my life and go back to something I thought wasn’t for me, but it is. Thank you Chris, Blake, & Tanner.
I loved watching Blake on Love on the Spectrum. He is such a polite, kind man, And I love how thoughtful Blake is, with a wonderful goal of becoming a better reader.
When Blake said that the only thing he wish he could change was his mind, my heart broke.
AWW Tanner from love on spectrum season 2 and his roommate Blake. So cool you got to speak with them so long ago! My heart
I KNEW I'd seen Tanner before when I watched Love on the Spectrum. Just realized it's because I've been following SBSK for years. So happy for Tanner and how he's blossomed.
I remember watching this interview 4 years ago. It just popped up again and I instantly recognized Tanner, because I just finished Love on the Spectrum season 2. Rewatching the interview now. ❤
“Work differently” nothing wrong about that. Makes you special out of the rest of us boring guys 😂 this mans optimism and happiness is really inspiring