Student Spotlight: Carter Casper

It’s a good day when you get to play football and bang on some drums alongside members of the Philadelphia Eagles football organization. But it’s even more exciting when everyone across the nation tuning into the TODAY Show gets to see you do it.

That was the experience of Plymouth Elementary School kindergartener Carter Casper on April 1, as the Eagles took

over ABC’s The TODAY Show as part of the kickoff to World Autism Month. Representatives from the Eagles Autism Foundation (EAF) – as well as players, cheerleaders, and members of the drumline – were there to talk about the importance of inclusion and acceptance for those with disabilities.

Carter was among a small group of area children selected to appear on the broadcast, during which Kylie Kelce, Event Consultant for the EAF, and Ryan Hammond, Executive Director for the EAF, were interviewed. Throughout the morning, the show featured segments where children took part in activities that are common to the EAF’s All Abilities clinics, which are held at various times and locations around the Philadelphia area.

Carter had attended one of the All Abilities football clinics, as part of a birthday gift from his grandparents. Upon signing up, Carter’s family had to submit a brief paragraph about him and his needs. Carter does not have autism, but he has a rare genetic condition called Williams Syndrome. According to Carter’s mother, Vanessa, this syndrome is caused by the deletion of 26-28 genes on the seventh chromosome. It is characterized by medical problems like cardiovascular disease, developmental delays, and learning challenges. These often occur with striking verbal abilities, highly social personalities, and an affinity for music. Carter also has apraxia, a disorder that is characterized by difficulty with motor skills. Carter may take many repetitions to learn a new skill.

At the clinic, he learned about different aspects of football and worked with coaches and training staff who are trained to meet children where they are in terms of ability. Mrs. Casper said Carter is very active in sports like baseball, soccer, and basketball, but hadn’t yet tried football. An avid Eagles fan, Carter took to the sport quickly and now enjoys tossing a football around in addition to his other activities. About a week and a half after the clinic, she received an email

invitation for Carter to appear on The TODAY Show. 

While Mrs. Casper thought everyone from the clinic had been invited, it became apparent later that they were part of a smaller group. The day of the broadcast, Carter and his family had to wake up bright and early for breakfast at the EAF and then boarded a bus with other members of the Foundation to head to New York City. Once at the studio, the children were taken outside to the TODAY Show plaza for activities with the Eagles staff.

“He ran football drills and snuck over to play the drums. They ran three different football drills, so when Carter was at the one closest to the drums, that’s when he snuck over,” said Mrs. Casper. “He absolutely loves drums, so I wasn’t too surprised.”

That was his favorite part of the experience, said Mrs. Casper, along with meeting Swoop, the Philadelphia Eagles mascot. He also got to pose for pictures with Ms. Hammond and Eagles player Landon Dickerson.

When the family had time to watch the broadcast, Carter said, “Hey, that’s me!” and his sister, Morgan, who is a fourth-grader, was shocked when she realized what her brother had been a part of. She told him, “Carter, you’re famous!”

Mrs. Casper said the experience has led the family to continue supporting the EAF, and that they plan to attend the

Huddle Up for Autism event at Lincoln Financial Field on April 21.

“The Eagles Autism Foundation has such a large reach, they use their position to promote awareness, inclusion, and acceptance for all,” said Mrs. Carter. “As special needs parents, we have had to learn to advocate for not just our children, but for all. Their advocacy and research for people with autism is especially important to our Williams Syndrome community, since many of our WS individuals have a dual diagnosis of Williams Syndrome and autism. Many of the therapeutic measures are shared between our two communities.”

To see the broadcast from April 1, please click here.