First person diagnosed with autism, Donald Triplett, passes away at 89.

Donald G. Triplett, the first person to be diagnosed with autism, has died at the age of 89. He worked for 65 years at the Bank of Forest, where his father was a primary shareholder. Triplett's autism diagnosis arose from a detailed 22-page letter sent to a Johns Hopkins researcher in Baltimore containing telling observations by his parents about his aptitudes and behavior. His story offers hope to parents of children who are different. Funeral services for Triplett will be at 11 a.m. Monday at the Forest Presbyterian Church.