Watch the Inspirational Story, A Mile in His Shoes, This Sunday on GMC TV!

I don’t have personal experience with autism, but as an editor for the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, I read a lot of stories about children who have been diagnosed with autism. I’ve learned that they bring many challenges to their families, but many of them are also blessed with exemplary talents and abilities. Mickey Tussler is an example. Diagnosed with a form of autism called Asperger’s Syndrome, Mickey seemed destined to live out his life helping his parents on their small farm in Bargersville, Indiana. But one day, the manager of a minor league baseball team stopped by to use the phone when his car went into a ditch, and he saw Mickey throwing apples into a basket with such speed and accuracy that he knew he’d found a new pitcher!

This remarkable true story -- first told in a critically acclaimed book by Frank Nappi -- is the subject of the new GMC TV movie, A Mile in His Shoes. Airing this Sunday, September 25th, at 7:00 PM ET, it stars Dean Cain as Arthur “Murphy” Murphy, the team manager; Luke Schroder (son of actor Ricky Schroder) as Mickey; and country music singer George Canyon as Mickey’s overprotective dad. It’s an inspirational story that the whole family will enjoy.

I had the opportunity to watch A Mile in His Shoes this week, and I found it to be very moving. Each character is flawed but sympathetic. Dean Cain’s character, “Murph,” had lost his only son at age ten to a rare blood disorder. Then an injury ended his baseball career as a player and forced him to take a coaching job with the underachieving Clayton River Rats where he’s under great pressure to win games -- or lose his job. Mickey’s dad, meanwhile, is hesitant to let his son play baseball. He’s afraid that Mickey will have a hard time adjusting to life away from the farm, where people won’t understand his condition. And, indeed, it’s not all roses when Mickey is finally allowed to join the team. At first, the other players welcome him, but when the team’s lead pitcher is benched so that Mickey can bring the team to victory, he decides it’s time to take down the kid who’s stealing his glory.

I hope that you and your family will tune in to watch A Mile in His Shoes this Sunday evening on GMC TV. It’s a great lead-in to discussions with your children about sports, disabilities, loss, competition, family, and more. You don’t need to be a baseball fan to love this movie because the issues are much greater than just taking a losing team to the play-offs. It’s a story that shows we’re all capable of greatness and worthy of love.