Just a few years ago, Vanessa Tucker had no idea what “autism” meant – or how it would shape her family’s future.

Vanessa and her husband, Joaquin, knew their firstborn son, Julian, was smart. He could read and spell on a tablet at 18 months. They attributed his inability to speak to shyness. But then someone at their church – a professor who specializes in training teachers to work with children with special needs – pointed out that Julian should be saying words by age 2.

He had early intervention for his speech delay, then started preschool at 3. “His teacher was amazing,” says Vanessa. “She asked if I had ever heard of autism. I hadn’t. I was naïve and ignorant. From there on, it was a wake-up call.”

The Tuckers took their son to Vanderbilt University, did a copious amount of research and found therapy to help him after he was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Vanessa earned a certificate to become a therapist for children with autism. “It was an eye-opener when I took those classes,” she says. “I told my husband we were going to open a ‘sensory center’ that would be open to the public.’”

The Tuckers even started the Autism Help Foundation in 2018, to help other parents pay for their children’s ASD-related therapy.

Today, Julian is 8 years old and has a little brother, Vince, age 6. “We told our younger son, ‘You will be your brother’s keeper,’” Joaquin says – and Vince takes that role very seriously.

“He is such a blessing,” says Vanessa. “He helps (Julian) with playing and interacting.”

Not only have the boys’ parents become autism experts because of their experience, but they’ve opened a We Rock the Spectrum Kid’s Gym location in Huntsville. It’s the sensory center Vanessa once dreamed of: a unique place where children of all abilities can safely play, learn and grow together. The gym’s motto is painted on the wall in red: “Finally a place where you never have to say I’m sorry.”

“We’ve done a lot of crying and praying,” she says. “We really believe this was the Lord’s will because of the way it all came together.”

With more than 100 locations in 27 states and eight countries, We Rock the Spectrum was founded by Dina Kimmel, another mom in a similar situation as Vanessa’s. “She wanted to do something that would be a safe place for kids to play together, to create an inclusive environment and a company for families in the same boat,” says Vanessa.

The Tuckers knew it was the perfect fit for their family and their community. In October, they opened a 5,600-square-foot location in Hampton Cove/Owens Cross Roads that offers specialized equipment like crash mats and pillows, a zip line, a trampoline, an indoor play structure and sensory-based toys and equipment. In addition, there’s a calming room for regulating emotions – a favorite place for Julian, who is easily overwhelmed by the open play area.

In the future, they plan to open other locations in their territory, which includes Birmingham and Athens. (There is already another independently owned and operated Alabama location in Daphne.)

In addition to offering open play seven days a week, We Rock the Spectrum hosts field trips, birthday parties, monthly parents’ night out, and community events like the sold-out Princess Brunch held in January. Recently, the Tuckers bought a van to pick up children for after-school play. And in the fall, they will offer pre-K prep. Other activities at the busy gym include Toddler Time and tumbling classes as well as summer camp.

“We are here all the time,” Vanessa says. “We are all about the community. We’re hands-on people, anyway.”

Vanessa, who grew up as a “military brat,” has lived all over the world. She is one of 16 children, with a twin sister. “We were all taught to be loving to each other, to look out for each other regardless of circumstances,” she says. She ended up at the University of Alabama on a scholarship and met Joaquin, a native of Hollywood, Alabama, near Scottsboro, after graduation, when they worked for the same company. She was living in Birmingham, and Joaquin was in Huntsville.

He laughs when he tells the story of how their courtship began through a recipe. “She messaged me asking how to make plantains,” he says. “I said I could bring them from Huntsville to Birmingham if necessary.” They’ve been married since 2014.

Working together at the gym is “a tag-team effort,” Joaquin says. “We feed off each other. But it’s all about giving back to the community. We didn’t know what the future held, but the Lord saw fit to open the door for us to assist special needs and neurotypical kids.”

“I feel like this is our purpose,” says Vanessa. “Life is so much bigger than yourself. You have to think about other people as well.”

Read about more inspiring Alabamians:

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