90 Miles in Her Shoes: Teen With Autism Walks for Awareness

Anna Tuzzolo of East Quogue is on a mission — to virtually walk the 90-miles from her hometown to Montauk Point by January.

Tuzzolo, a 13-year-old who was diagnosed with autism at the age of three, is walking to give back to a Water Mill camp that she has come to love.

For the past four summers, Tuzzolo has attended the 5-year-old Camp Flying Point, which is run by the Flying Point Foundation for Autism and founded by Kim Covell, a mom with a son who is autistic. 

Tuzzolo's mission to raise awareness and money started after her mom, Patty, said Anna walked a 5K last fall with one of her teachers.

At first, Patty said, she wasn't sure if her daughter was going to be able to finish the 5K or even get out of the car to start the race, but to her surprise, Anna woke up that morning ready to go, finishing the race with her teacher by her side.

"She was so excited," said Patty. "For people who don't love crowds and noise, she just loved it."

Patty, who is a Flying Point Foundation for Autism, board member wanted to find a way to channel her daughter's new-found love and at the same time raise awareness and money for Flying Point — she soon came up with the idea for her daughter to virtually walk 90 miles to Montauk with friends and relatives at the East Quogue Park and over the Ponquogue bridge on weekends and after school.

So far, Patty said her daughter has walked 16 miles and raised $3,000 through her Razoo.com fundraising page.

"People have been very generous," said Patty.

Patty hopes that her daughter will not only be able to raise more money as word gets out about her mission, but that her daughter will inspire others to get out and walk with her.

Just over this past weekend, Patty said, two fellow campers from Flying Point came out from Westchester to walk with Anna and as they walked across the Ponquogue bridge, cars honked and cheered them on.

To garner support, Patty has been posting updates with photos and walking times on a Facebook page she recently started for her daughter. As of Monday, the page had 130 likes and is growing by the day, said Patty.

Patty anticipates that at the pace her daughter, who graduated the East Quogue Elementary School and is currently attended Center Moriches Middle School, is going, she will be able to finish her Montauk walk by January and then Patty said her sights are set on a virtual Walk Across America in April, which is autism awareness month.

Patty hopes to make that walk a community event, with community members logging walking miles over the month to reach the goal.

To like Anna's Facebook page, click here and to donate online. Donations are also being accepted by mail. Mail to The Flying Point Foundation, 25 Farmstead Lane, Watermill, NY 11976.