Writer Victor Yates

💔💔💔💔I am absolutely devastated by the tragic passing of Professor Jason Arday. I had been collaborating with Jason on promoting his new memoir, Great and Unfortunate Things, and was so looking forward to helping him and his extraordinary mother, Gif, share their story…a story of autism, adversity, faith, a mother’s fierce determination, and a young boy who defied every limitation placed upon him to become a professor at Cambridge. These were the words I had written for the back of his book: “As the mother of a child on the spectrum, I was reminded once again that there is nothing more fierce than a mother’s determination to see her child receive the services and attention he deserves; nothing more inspiring than a stranger with nothing to gain who asks anyway, ‘How can I help?’; and nothing more empowering than intervention combined with positivity, love and grit. Read this book and prepare to be inspired.” I never imagined those words would now feel like part of a farewell. Whatever questions surrounded Jason’s professional life, nothing justified the relentless public humiliation, online cruelty and dehumanization he endured. We must remember that behind every headline and every social media pile-on is a whole human being!…with a heart, a family and a breaking point. Words have weight. Cruelty has consequences. Jason was only 41. His life mattered. His journey mattered. And the story he and his mother fought so hard to create still matters. My heart is shattered for Gif, his wife, his children and everyone who loved him. I am so deeply sorry, Jason. May you finally rest in peace. 💔🕊️