8-Year-Old Boy with Autism Inspires International Chime Maker to Give Back

SHOKAN, N.Y. – “Chimes for Autism: Tyler’s Story” is a video chronicling the story of Tyler Doi, an 8-year-old boy with a fascination with windchimes, especially Woodstock Chimes, and a unique musical acuity. His acuity is so strong that Tyler was victorious against the founder of Woodstock Chimes in a challenge to identify the company’s musically tuned chimes just by hearing them ring. However, there’s much more to the story: Tyler lives with autism.

“Around age 1, Tyler wasn’t exhibiting simple behaviors for a 12-month-old,” explained Sean Doi, Tyler’s father. “He didn’t wave hello or goodbye to friends and often spent time in his own world — his own space — instead of interacting with others. It was two years later that our doctor diagnosed Tyler with autism.”

Around the same time, at age 3, Tyler became exceptionally interested in windchimes. It was two years ago, when Tyler was 6, that his parents reached out to Woodstock Chimes, a leading manufacturer of more than 200 musically tuned windchimes, to share Tyler’s story. Since then, the Doi family, from Toronto, has visited Woodstock Chimes’ New York headquarters several times and has built a strong relationship with its team, especially Garry Kvistad, GRAMMY^® Award-winner and Woodstock Chimes’ founder and owner.

Having built that relationship with the Dois, Woodstock Chimes wanted to do something to support those living with autism. The company decided to share Tyler’s remarkable story and give back to the autism community. Woodstock Chimes enlisted Kala Project, a non-profit Michigan media-production company, and developed a video chronicling Tyler’s passion and musical acuity, as well as one of his many visits to the company’s headquarters. The video even includes Kvistad and Tyler facing off in a “Name-That-Chime Challenge,” showcasing Tyler’s extraordinary talent of identifying chimes simply by hearing their sound. The video is available online at www.chimes.com/autism.

Woodstock Chimes is encouraging viewers to share “Chimes for Autism: Tyler’s Story” on all social media platforms with the hashtags #TylersStory and #ChimesforAutism to increase autism awareness, especially in April, which is National Autism Awareness Month, and World Autism Awareness Day April 2.

To give back to the autism community, Woodstock Chimes created the “Woodstock Chimes for Autism,” a windchime designed to elevate autism awareness and support those living with autism. The full 100 percent of the “Woodstock Chimes for Autism” after-tax profits will benefit autism treatment programs and research. This chime is the newest in the company’s series of Woodstock Chimes’ Charitable Chimes^™, which are tied to non-profit organizations that support important causes.

The “Woodstock Chimes for Autism” features the multicolored puzzle-piece symbol associated with autism on its windcatcher and is tuned to Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 21. The internationally recognized symbol reflects the mystery and complexity of the autism spectrum. The Mozart tuning relates to reports that Mozart’s music is a blessing for many with autism who are hypersensitive to sound. The chime measures 24 inches in length, retails for $56.

“Tyler is one of the most remarkable children I have ever met. His musical awareness is inspiring and reminds us that we all bring gifts to the world. It’s wonderful knowing this new chime will support treatment programs and research to help those living with autism, like Tyler,” said Kvistad.

To learn more about “Chimes for Autism: Tyler’s Story”