Come Sail Away FEATURED ARTICLE Molly Rushing


PUBLILIUS SYRUS, A LATIN WRITER, once said, “Anyone can hold the helm when the sea is calm.” As any caregiver of an individual with developmental disabilities can attest, the “sea” of life is rarely calm. However, one organization is committed to providing smooth sailing for anyone aboard their ship.


Autism on the Seas (AOTS) is an organization that is dedicated to providing vacation and travel options for individuals and families living with special needs, including, but not limited to, autism, asperger syndrome, down syndrome, cerebral palsy and all cognitive, intellectual and developmental disabilities. Utilizing such famous cruise lines as Royal Caribbean and Disney Cruise Lines, AOTS assists families in planning the vacation of a lifetime.


Michael Sobbell, the CEO of AOTS, originally had originally devised a business model for home-schooled children. In this initial plan, the home-schooled children and their parents would take a cruise and study about each port that they visited. However, because of an interview that Sobbell saw on television with Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino, he immediately shifted his focus.


22 EMPOWERED | Winter 2011


Marino and his wife, Claire, are the parents of a child with autism, Michael. The famous couple noticed delays in their son and immediately had him tested. At 2 ½ years old, Michael was diagnosed with autism. In response to the wonderful therapy their son received, Marino and his wife founded the Dan Marino Foundation, a foundation dedicated to improving the lives of individuals with autism. It was because of this foundation, and the interviews Marino gave to increase public support of the foundation, that AOTS was born.


AOTS offers multiple options for families and individuals with developmental disabilities. The first option is a group cruise with AOTS staff. These are Cruises that we schedule approx 10-16 months in advance, and offer them to anyone who would like to travel. AOTS staff cruises with all families, and offer a variety of private activities, respite and services to accommodate all special needs. A second option if a “Land Resort Stay with Staff,” and it is also booked 10-16 months in advance. The benefits and services provided to families remains the same; however, each family stays at a specific land-locked resort.


AOTS offers multiple options for families and individuals with developmental disabilities. The first option is a group cruise with AOTS staff. These are Cruises that are scheduled between 10-16 months in advance, and offered to anyone who would like to travel. AOTS staff cruises with all families, and offer


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