Heartwarming moment autistic boy, 5, calls father 'dad' for the first time on Father's Day

A father has revealed the heartwarming moment his five-year-old autistic son called him 'dad' for the first time - on Father's Day.

Simon Squire, who works for the Canadian Army and lives in Greenwood, Nova Scotia, uploaded an image of the three words - 'I like dad' - his son, Corran, had written on a drawing board.

The youngster had approached his father, who was relaxing after a stressful week at work, and said, 'Hi Daddy' before handing him the toy.



' I looked down at the toy and froze,' Squire wrote on his blog . ' [The] three simple words made my weekend and blew my fathers day out of the water. I'm still stuck for words.'



Moving: Simon Squire shared this note that his five-year-old autistic son wrote to him on Father's Day - the first time he has ever called him 'dad'. Squire said he was speechless when he read it

He shared the image on Reddit - where it became an instant hit - and responded with his own message on the toy: 'I love my son!'

Squire explained: 'My kid is smart as a whip, very logical, low maintenance and, at times he is funny as s***! The only issue I've ever had was that he never outright acknowledged me as Daddy until very recently.

'This was one of the best weekends I've ever had. I'm so proud of my son. I can't imagine it will get much better than this.'

Corran, who is the couple's only child after losing another very late in the pregnancy, writes perfectly well without their help, Squire explained.

Family: Squire, who works for the Canadian Army, said his son Corran, right, struggled with loud noises and basic tasks when he was younger. But he said the boy is hilarious and very logical



Proud: Corran wrote the note alone and often helps his dad problem solving, he said

'We don't hold his hand while he writes,' he said. 'Kinda ruins the purpose of him growing and learning if we do everything for him.'

He explained that as a toddler, Corran struggled to talk, use the toilet or eat on his own. He has never made direct eye contact with anyone, Squire added.



The message resonated with users of Reddit.

'Just as I read this someone started slicing onions in my living room and... I am crying like a little girl,' one wrote. 'As a dad I can appreciate the feeling a simple act like that can bring. Good on you and your boy! Happy Fathers day dad!'

Another added: 'Part of this joy is certainly directed at the wonderful gift that your son gave you, but your patience and dedication has touched a universal hope that we all have with our children, that someday they will achieve things that, deep down, we feared they never would.'

Love: 'His three simple words made my weekend and blew my fathers day out of the water,' Squire wrote

