Jessica Fletcher found a way to ensure her nonverbal autistic son, Hunter, could always communicate by tattooing a keyboard onto her forearm. The idea stemmed from a moment when the batteries in Hunter's Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) device died while they were out to eat.
Hunter, who is 11 years old, responded by drawing a keyboard on a napkin and pointing to his order. This inspired Fletcher to create a backup communication method that would not rely on technology.
"That sparked the idea for me that I can't limit him to technology because technology does fail us," Fletcher told CTV News. "So she came up with a backup that would never run out of juice."
Fletcher worked with a tattoo artist to design a keyboard on her forearm, complete with letters, a happy face, a sad face, and an "I heart you" button. The first word Hunter typed on her arm after the tattoo was revealed was "Mama."
This permanent solution has eliminated much of their communication frustration, allowing Hunter to tap out his thoughts and needs privately. Unlike his AAC device, which speaks his words aloud, the tattoo facilitates quiet conversations between mother and son.
Fletcher posted a video of Hunter using the tattoo to communicate on Facebook on July 8. The video gained significant traction, amassing over two million likes on social media and inspiring other families with non-speaking loved ones.
"When we remove communication barriers, we're giving non speakers the chance to show us who they really are," Jessica told the Canadian news station. The idea has since expanded beyond Fletcher's arm, with Hunter's school friends requesting keyboard shirts to communicate with him on the playground. Fletcher has partnered with a clothing company to create these shirts, and has been contacted by parents, nurses, doctors, and first responders globally who wish to help autistic children in their schools, hospitals, or families. Tattoo artists have also offered to provide similar tattoos to other parents for free.
Fletcher stated, "I'd give my body a thousand scars if it gave my son one more way to communicate." The tattoo serves as a constant reminder and a direct line of communication, embodying the message that everyone deserves to be heard.