Mississippi man known as “Case 1” first diagnosed with autism has died
Forest, Miss. , The Mississippi man known as “Case 1” is the first person diagnosed with autism to die.
Donald G. Triplett was the subject of a PBS documentary film titled “In a Different Key,” a BBC News magazine installment, and countless medical journal articles.
But to employees of Bank of Forest, a small town about 40 miles (64 kilometers) east of Jackson, he was simply “Don,” WLBT-TV reported.
Triplett passed away on Thursday, confirmed Lesa Davis, senior vice president of the bank. He was 89 years old.
Triplett worked for 65 years at the bank where his father, Baymon Triplett, was a primary shareholder.
“Don was a remarkable man,” CEO Alan Breland said of Triplett, who was known as a fiercely independent scholar. “And he kept things interesting.”
Triplett, a 1958 graduate of Millsaps College, enjoyed golf and traveling and often flew to exotic locations, Breland said.
“He was in his own world, but if you give him two, three digit numbers, he can multiply them faster than he can get the answer on a calculator,” he told the television station.
Triplett’s autism diagnosis stemmed from a detailed 22-page letter sent by her parents to a Johns Hopkins researcher in Baltimore about her aptitude and behavior. The letter remains a primary reference document for those studying the disorder.
Oliver Triplett, Triplett’s nephew, told The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate that his uncle’s story gives hope to parents of separated children.
“They can see Don and a community that embraced him,” he said. “As a whole, One encourages and accepts her. It lets people who have children on different levels of the spectrum believe their children can live happy and fulfilling lives.
Triplett’s funeral will be held Monday at 11 a.m. at Forrest Presbyterian Church.
