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From Fear to Freedom: How the Y Helped Cazden Find Confidence in the Water and Beyond
At first, the water felt bigger than he was.
For 10-year-old Cazden, even stepping into a pool once meant uncertainty. The deep end was out of the question. Going underwater? Unthinkable. Like many children on the autism spectrum, new environments and unfamiliar sensations can feel overwhelming, especially something as unpredictable as water.
But what made it even harder wasn’t just fear. It was access.
“There were places that didn’t want to work with him,” his mom, Lisa, shares quietly. “Sometimes with kids on the spectrum… people just don’t know how.”
Lisa is Cazden’s biological grandmother and the only one he calls mom. She has raised Cazden since birth and officially adopted him just before he turned two.
She knows his strengths: his incredible intelligence, his attention to detail, his love of building intricate LEGO worlds filled with dinosaurs and space stations, and his imagination. She also knows his challenges including social hesitations, sensory sensitivities, and a tendency to keep to himself. She also knew how much Cazden loved the water. And loving the water without knowing how to swim? That’s not just a gap—it’s a risk. So Lisa started searching for lessons where he’d be accepted and comfortable. After a lot of phone calls and a few underwhelming experiences, she found the YMCA of Reading & Berks County.
A Different Kind of Welcome
From the very first conversation, things felt different. Instead of hesitation, there was openness. Instead of uncertainty, there was a plan. Lisa connected with Rebecca, a swim instructor who didn’t just teach strokes, she understood people and took the time to listen. They started with a one-on-one meeting and that’s where everything changed.
“Rebecca is amazing,” Lisa says. “She understands his personality. His quirks. She gives him space, but she knows how to reach him.”
Having that balance of patience and encouragement along with structure and flexibility, created something Cazden hadn’t experienced before with new environments: comfort.
As luck would have it, Lisa also found inclusion and belonging from the women in the pool who would invite her to join them while her son was having his lessons. Everyone was welcoming.
Small Steps, Big Breakthroughs
At the beginning, progress looked simple. Learning to float. Getting his face in the water. Trusting the feeling of letting go.
Over time, those small steps turned into something bigger. Cazden learned how to swim the length of the pool, then back again. Then, he started diving. Today, he’s doing twists and turns in the water like the kind you’d expect from a confident swimmer; not a child who once refused to go underwater. While his progress is fun to watch, the biggest transformation isn’t what you can see. It’s how he feels.
“His confidence… it’s completely different,” Lisa says. “Before, he wouldn’t even jump in. Now, he just goes.”
That confidence doesn’t stay in the pool. It follows him everywhere.
Finding His Place
Outside of the water, Cazden has always tended to keep to himself. He is more of a thinker, a builder, and an observer more than a social butterfly. Yet, with the confidence he gained in himself, Lisa noticed unexpected changes at the Y.
“In the water, he talks to everyone,” Lisa says, smiling. “He talks to the other kids. He even tries to help them.”
The same child who once stood on the sidelines is now being invited in by peers.
Seeing this shift in anyone is rewarding, but for a parent of a child with autism the change is monumental. The transformation gives her a renewed confidence in Caden’s ability to live independently some day. For Lisa it was also a place of support for both of them where they didn’t feel isolated by people who didn’t understand. Instead they found connection among a community of people who welcomed and invited them to be included in activities at the pool.
He feels safe, seen, and capable. That’s what the Y created for him.
More Than a Skill—A Life Change
For Lisa, swimming was always about more than recreation. “It’s a life skill,” she says. “I grew up learning how to swim. Everyone should have that.” She acknowledges that for Cazden, it’s also about freedom.
Freedom to go on vacation and play in the pool without fear.
Freedom to say “yes” when other kids ask him to join.
Freedom to explore something he loves without limits.
And maybe, one day, freedom to chase his even bigger dream to be an astronaut when he grows up.
Why It Matters
There are many families like Lisa and Cazden who are searching for a place that says yes when others say no. The YMCA believes everyone deserves a place that welcomes, adapts, and encourages individuals to reach new goals. For youth development, the Y is also a place that believes in someone’s potential before it’s fully visible and gives you a safe space to try something new and find meaningful experiences.
“They help anybody,” Lisa says as her voice catches. “Their doors are open to everyone. There were people who didn’t want to support my child… because of his autism.”
At the Y, they weren’t turned away. Cazden was invited in and Lisa found a renewed sense of community and support. That’s why this matters.
An Invitation to Be Part of the Story
Cazden’s story is about swimming, and it’s also about confidence, belonging, and possibilities. These are each of the foundational building blocks that every child deserves.
Supporting the YMCA makes funding programs possible, which in turn create moments like this:
A child jumping into the deep end for the first time.
A parent exhaling, knowing their child is safe.
A quiet kid finding his voice—and being heard.
That’s the impact and the legacy each of us leave when we support the Y’s mission.