Best friends with Autism communicate with non-verbal cues and musical rhythm: 'It's the little things'

Friendship and love can go far beyond the common effects and be the guiding light in our most challenging times. Two best friends with Autism are a testament to this fact. Gabe and Arielle might face different challenges, but expressing their admiration and understanding of each other is not among them. Parents of Autistic children are usually concerned about their child not making many friends due to communicative taboos in society, but Nicole Gottesmann's posts on Instagram about how she sees her child making a friend with much delight is heartwarming.

The video shows us how support and friendship can go a long way in helping a person feel better and does not need to meet certain conditions in order to be special. The clip posted on July 3 received almost a million likes. The two friends can be seen understanding each other's non-verbal cues and enjoying the music while sitting in a restaurant. 

The overlay text explains, "Gabe is autistic and non-speaking while Arielle speaks. Since becoming friends with her, he hasn't been the same. He and Arielle have a connection like other teenagers. They just communicate differently. Through their love of music and no words are needed!" In the caption, Gottesmann writes, "Today is my 18th wedding anniversary. When I look at Gabe, I see so much of his dad."

She continues, "Seth had the best smile. He had the ability to make everyone around him happy just by being there. I feel that about Gabe as well. Lately, he has been smiling all the time! Ever since January, when Gabe started spending time with Arielle, he has not been the same. He is always happy even when she isn't present. I think this is the result of feeling understood. They also have similar interests and have fun when they get together."

It further reads, "This night we spent at @brewsbarrels was really special. The musician @katekeeleymusic is only 19 years old and happened to be performing. She sounds exactly like Taylor Swift and for two hours, we got to hear her sing. Caroline and I sat across from Gabe and Arielle as they got to experience more live music together. We all had the best night ever! It's the little things, you guys!"

People in the comment section absolutely adored this special bond. "If they had a love story published as a book y’all know I'd be eating that s**t up," commented @dougheyjoey69. "The way they look at each other is so wholesome," wrote @b2traps_. "The way he shyly looks away and then slowly turns back to her again," added @aliennvie. 

According to the National Institute of Deafness and Other Communicative Disorders, "Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability that can result in significant social, communication and behavioral challenges. The term "spectrum" refers to the wide range of symptoms, skills and levels of impairment that ASD patients can have."

ASD affects people in different ways, ranging from mild to severe. Some symptoms, such as difficulties with social interaction, are shared by people with ASD, but there are differences in when the symptoms begin, how severe they are, the number of symptoms and whether other problems are present. The severity of the symptoms can change over time.