There is not much Josh Lockwood-Wewer loves more than Disney. The affable 33-year-old speaks almost exclusively in the voices of his favorite characters: Mickey Mouse, the Muppets’ Kermit the Frog and, above all, Goofy. He has watched The Lion King nearly every day since its 1994 release — well over 5,000 times, according to his mother. His family moved from Maryland to Anaheim, California, when he was in his early 20s just to be closer to Disneyland.
As an adult with severe autism, Lockwood-Wewer depends on around-the-clock support from multiple aides. His caregivers prepare his meals and watch as he eats to make sure he doesn’t choke. They drive him everywhere from doctor’s appointments to his favorite restaurant, a fast food joint called Paul’s Place where he orders two chicken tenders every time. And they administer his regimen of a dozen daily medications to control his psychosis, depression and anxiety.
