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VIDEO OF THE DAY: Autistic Man Draws New York City From Memory
August 24, 2012
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We don't usually share corporate-sponsored videos, but this one's just too amazing to pass up: Stephen Wiltshire is an artist who has autism.

Recently, he was commissioned by a financial services company to complete an epic project: he would draw the entire New York skyline. From memory.

Stephen was mute until he was nine years old. When he was five, he discovered drawing, a pastime that has become his passion, and which helped him learn to speak.

His sister says she thinks drawing for Stephen "is like air and water for us. He cannot live without it." He also has an incredible memory. In the video, his sister says he's "able to memorize cityscapes, landscapes, how many windows, floors, chimneys."

At the start of the project, Stephen flew over New York for a few hours so he could take in the view. Once he'd seen the entire city, it took Stephen three days to complete the drawing.

In the video below, Stephen and his sister talk about his love of drawing and he takes us through the process of recreating an entire city from memory:

Last year, one of the most famous people with autism - Temple Grandin - was in the red chair. Temple has an extraordinary story and her conversation with George was one of the highest rated shows we've ever had. In this clip, she talks about autism, Mark Zuckerberg, reality television, and caring for the weak. You can also see the full interview right here.

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