COPPERAS COVE, Texas (KXXV) — “I have talked to hundreds of women on all different Facebook groups saying, ‘I just found out when I was 25. I just found out when I was 39. I just found out when I was 60.’ It happens at all different ages,” Suzanne Plumley said.
Plumley was diagnosed with autism at age 51. She said a late diagnosis is very common in women.
“Going through the first half of my life, I did not know who I was, dealing with all the challenges, and feeling like less than,” Plumley said.
“No, I'm not. I have challenges, yes, but I also have so many more strengths.”
Since her diagnosis, Plumley has started a nonprofit organization called Bridge Builders. Her goal is to connect women like herself in the community. She said it can be hard to accept a new normal, but it is also a fresh start.
“We take our situation, our stories, and instead of dwelling on them, we actually take those stories, those lessons, and we start to imagine a better future for ourselves,” Plumley said.
25 News spoke with Sean Noranborck and Leslie Benitez from BlueSprig, an autism care center in Waco.
They were not surprised Plumley was diagnosed later in life. Benitez said autism is still a fairly new diagnosis, and it takes a lot to get to that point.
“You don’t know if it's a symptom of this disorder or if it's just you, your character, your DNA. There are just a lot of things that can overlap with the diagnosis,” Benitez said.
However, Plumley said for anyone at any age, the most important thing is not to feel like that’s the end. She said anyone can rise above the conditions and circumstances surrounding an autism diagnosis.
“I stand at the edge of the bridge and I say to the women, ‘You can go over this bridge, too. You can reemerge into society. Yes, it may be hard to do it by yourself, but I’m here to connect you,’” Plumley said.
