In a remarkable journey of perseverance, 19-year-old Viraj Dhanda from Brookline, Massachusetts, is set to attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), one of the world's most prestigious universities. His path to success was paved by his father, Sumit Dhanda, who refused to give up on his son despite the challenges they faced.

Viraj, who has nonspeaking autism and apraxia, struggled for years to communicate. His father noticed developmental delays early on. "There were a lot of milestones he was missing," Sumit recalled. As Viraj approached 18 months, the gap in his development widened. Doctors warned Sumit that his son might need lifelong care and would likely never be able to communicate.

For the first 14 years of Viraj's life, Sumit worked tirelessly to teach him basic skills like numbers and the alphabet. However, traditional methods proved ineffective. It wasn't until Sumit discovered that Viraj could type using his right thumb that a breakthrough occurred. This newfound ability allowed Viraj to express himself through an iPad, opening the door to communication.

Viraj expressed his frustration about being misunderstood for so long. "I desperately wanted the world to know that I had a fully functional brain," he said. With the ability to communicate, Viraj's academic potential quickly became apparent. In less than three years, he progressed from basic math to calculus and achieved an impressive score of 35 out of 36 on the ACT.

This spring, he graduated from Fusion Academy Newton, a private school in Massachusetts. The acceptance letter from MIT was a moment of joy for both father and son. "I was ecstatic," Viraj said. "Getting into MIT didn't just feel like a personal victory for me, but a breakthrough for the entire nonspeaking autistic community."

Viraj believes that many others like him have untapped potential waiting to be revealed. "Absolutely, I'm not that special," he stated. "I just have the tools and the support needed to demonstrate my intelligence." His story serves as an inspiring reminder of the importance of persistence and the power of communication.