Meet Stalen & Chrystal
Every great journey begins with a story.
Ours begins with a little boy named Stalen—a boy with bright blue eyes, an incredible sense of humor, an unwavering determination, and a heart that has forever changed the way we see the world.
Meet Stalen
Stalen is an autistic, nonspeaking child with complex medical needs, including epilepsy, a feeding tube, an ileostomy, and other health challenges. While his path has included more hospital stays, therapies, surgeries, and appointments than most children experience in a lifetime, it has also been filled with remarkable resilience, joy, laughter, and love.
Stalen communicates using augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), reminding everyone he meets that communication is not defined by speech. His voice deserves to be heard, his choices respected, and his potential never underestimated.
He loves pizza, hockey, swimming, playgrounds, walks, logos, and making people laugh. He has taught us that progress isn’t always measured by milestones—it is found in perseverance, connection, and celebrating every victory, no matter how big or small.
Everything you see here exists because of him.
Meet Chrystal
I’m Chrystal—Stalen’s mom, advocate, author, speaker, and founder of Stalen’s Way.
Like many parents, I never imagined the road we would travel. What began as a way to document our family’s experiences soon grew into something much bigger: a community dedicated to education, advocacy, accessibility, and inclusion.
Today, Stalen’s Way reaches hundreds of thousands of people each month through authentic storytelling and lived experience. Along the way, I’ve had the privilege of speaking with healthcare professionals, educators, first responders, government leaders, researchers, and families to help create greater understanding of autism, disability, communication, and accessibility.
Our advocacy has contributed to meaningful change within our community, including promoting communication boards, Caroline’s Carts, accessible parking, disability awareness, inclusive practices, and greater accessibility for individuals with disabilities. Every conversation, presentation, and project is driven by one goal: making the world a little more inclusive than it was yesterday.
I don’t claim to have all the answers. I simply share our family’s experiences with honesty, vulnerability, and hope, believing that stories have the power to educate, connect, and inspire change.
About Stalen’s Way
Stalen’s Way is more than a website.
It is a place where families feel understood, professionals gain insight from lived experience, and communities discover practical ways to become more inclusive.
Here you’ll find stories from our journey, educational resources, advocacy initiatives, presentations, community projects, and reflections on raising a medically complex autistic child. You’ll also find moments of celebration, because disability is not defined solely by challenges—it is also filled with joy, strength, growth, and possibility.
Whether you are a parent, caregiver, educator, healthcare professional, policymaker, student, or simply someone who wants to learn, we are grateful you’ve found your way here.
Our Mission
Our mission is simple:
To educate through lived experience.
To advocate for meaningful change.
To promote accessibility and inclusion.
To empower families.
To celebrate every individual’s right to communicate, belong, and thrive.
Thank you for being here.
We hope our story encourages you to see the world a little differently—and to help build one where every person is valued, every voice is respected, and every journey matters.
Smiling woman hugging a boy wearing headphones.