During his presentations to schools, businesses, and organizations, autism public motivator Ben Hartranft often mentions "having lots of stuck thoughts.” One of the biggest thoughts that he has been stuck on for years, according to his mom Sandy, is meeting President Biden.
That thought became a reality last week for Lansdale native Ben, a Philadelphia Eagles Autism Foundation ambassador, who was exclusively invited to meet Biden at his speech at the Navy Yard in Philadelphia.
"It really wouldn't matter who was in office, he just really wanted to meet the President. He reached out through social media to everyone he could think of to see if there were any connections that would make this dream a reality and he got close several times,”
wrote Sandy in her blog post "Our Own Forrest Gump” on Ben’s website Benergy1.com.
Ben thought his dream would come true at the last Army-Navy football game at Lincoln Financial Field. Alas, Biden did not show, but he got to meet the Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro, who came in Biden’s place.
"Ben was invited to Harrisburg in April as a guest of Senator Maria Collett. While visiting the Capitol, Ben was invited onto the senate floor to be a part of Senator Comitta’s resolution recognizing April as Autism Awareness Month in the Commonwealth,” Sandy said. "We believe this is where Ben’s name was added to the invitation list to hear President Biden at the Navy Yard.”
Sandy said her son was thrilled, but to set expectations, they made it clear that he would not get to actually meet the President, but see him ushered onto the podium by Secret Service and then whisked away afterward.
"Ben heard us, but didn't believe that he would not have a chance to finally make this dream come true. I call myself Kite String Mom for this very reason. I want to watch Ben soar but it is my job to keep him grounded,” she wrote in her blog.
Sandy was wrong.
"The people he met there helped get his name and desire to the Secret Service with President Biden. We want everyone to understand this was not political in any way, and that Ben wanted to meet the president no matter who was in office,” she told North Penn Now.
Her son charmed those he met that day, and they were all rooting for him to meet the President, she said.
And he did.
"I’ll never hear the end of this one,” she wrote. "We just feel like Ben is our own Forrest Gump, living one grand adventure after another and always leaving us speechless.”
From being on the
Ellen DeGeneres Show to winning
The Price Is Right to working for the Philadelphia Eagles, Ben is fulfilling dream after dream. "It was really amazing getting to meet the President,” Ben said. "I put a smile on his face and brought the ‘benergy.’”
Sandy and Ben
published a book about Ben’s life called Swinging From the Chandelier: Finding Joy in the Journey Through Autism.
"I literally found Ben on my chandelier when he was three, and I knew that if I ever had the opportunity to write a book that would be my title,” she said. "We hope that it will inspire hope in other families as well as give them a glimpse into all that Ben has overcome and even provide a laugh or two.”
Check out more about Ben’s life and how you can book him for motivational events at his website.
