Mom gets emotional as her boy with autism pets dog for the first time: 'The day has finally arrived'

After four years together, a boy with autism finally reached out and touched the family dog he had always kept at a distance. His mom, Alex Waits, caught the moment on video and shared it on her TikTok page @alexrichell2.0, writing "When your dog has been patiently waiting 4 years for your autistic son to pet her and the day has finally arrived." Stella joined the family in 2020 when Waits' older children were still toddlers. Calm by nature, Stella quickly attached herself to the kids, except for one. 

When Waits’ youngest son was born in 2021, Stella curiously watched over him but kept her distance. Her son was later diagnosed with severe autism; he is nonverbal and prefers to exist in his "own world." "He doesn’t show much interest in animals, and if a random dog comes into his space, normally, he will just dodge them and go the opposite direction," Waits told Newsweek.

And her son is not alone. Children on the autism spectrum often face unique challenges when it comes to understanding and expressing affection. One comprehensive study focusing on children with Asperger’s Syndrome, now part of the broader Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), found that they often had difficulties with both showing and recognizing appropriate affectionate behaviors. For a lifelong animal lover, that disconnect was hard to accept. "My children have always had a close bond with our animals, and I was hoping one day I'd get to see that with him before our fur baby would ever have to leave this earth," she said. 

Her son was hesitant and would only pet Stella with his feet. Waits' wish finally came true this year when her son had his first interaction with Stella. "He started off by using just one finger to kind of touch her and investigate. But she would get excited and wag her tail, then it would startle him and he would stop," Waits said. Eventually, her son found a new way to interact, using his feet. "The day I recorded this video, I thought it was funny that he was using her as a table to play on, because that's her version of 'getting pets,' and she always sits so still for this. But then he decided to reach down and pet her once he realized she was just as soft with his hand [as with his feet]," Waits said.

Since then, the gentle touches have continued; Stella now positions herself within reach every chance she gets. "He's been gently doing it on and off since," Waits said. She added, "I know their bond is going to grow closer and closer…we can't wait to hear him saying her name." The story drew endless support and love online, and many shared their thoughts in the comments.

@crybaby.forever commented, "Her little tail shake, you can see the urge is there and then she stops herself so she doesn’t scare him." @katoneill517 wrote, "That little lady is almost as excited as a mom hearing her child speak. She is the best friend for life we all need." @alexniiicoleee said, "The way she maintained eye contact with you the whole time like, 'Are we good, are you seeing this, am I responding right?'" @outlaw_22 shared, "That is the proudest dog I’ve ever seen. She said, 'Look mom! Our baby boy is petting me. I waited so long for this. I’m so proud.'" @hey_delaneyrae added, "She looks like she's about to cry. What a sweet moment!"

You can follow Alex Waits (@alexrichell2.0) on TikTok for more of her son's and dog's content.