HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Waylon Wilder, a nonverbal boy with autism, died after wandering away from his family's yard in Sumner County and being found in a neighbor's swimming pool. Thousands of people received the warning about the missing child before responders found him and attempted to save his life.
His mother, Haley Wilder, is now sharing who her son was and what she hopes his story will change.
For more information on how to support Haley and Waylon's legacy, click here.
"I was pushing him on the hammock. I glanced at my daughters. And when I glanced back at him it's gone," Haley said.
Haley says it happened in seconds. She was outside with her children when she briefly looked away from Waylon. He wandered away, and despite the pool being secured, he didn't understand the danger it posed.
"Waylon simply did not understand danger. He didn't know danger. He didn't fear anything. He had no fears. And that's part of the awareness that I would like to create because this looks like a safe place," Haley said.
But Haley wants people to know Waylon for more than how he died. He loved the water, jumping on the trampoline, playing with sensory toys and watching the Titans. Though he was nonverbal, she says he had his own way of communicating.
"Waylon was always a free-spirited child. Waylon was autistic, and he was nonverbal. So he didn't communicate through words, but he communicated through smiles, through his eyes. Through love," Haley said.
Haley says plans for Waylon to return to school were sitting on her desk when he died.
"I was doing an IEP, and it's like I blinked and I was filling out a death certificate," Haley said.
She had been working to find a school that could meet his needs after facing barriers to enrollment.
"I wanted him to have friends and the schools didn't have that level of support, so he wasn't welcome," Haley said. "I was told I would get a call back trying to find another school that does offer that level of support. I never got a call back, so I was like okay, we will homeschool."
Even in the days following Waylon's death, Haley continues to fight for children with disabilities and for a more inclusive community. She says she also sees gaps in funding and training that need to be addressed.
"Also increasing funding for our school systems for law enforcement so that they can have the appropriate training," Haley said.
Haley hopes Waylon's legacy leads to safer, more inclusive spaces.
"For people who know autism, but we need awareness for the people who don't," Haley said.
To her, Waylon was a reminder of just how much can be shared without words.
"Waylon was pure innocent, pure innocent. Waylon was light. Waylon was love," Haley said.
Haley shared this message about her son.
"Waylon was a sweet, gentle, and happy boy who brought a special kind of love into the lives of everyone who knew him. He was deeply loved by his family, and his presence will forever remain in our hearts, leaving a lasting imprint that no one else could ever fill.
Though his time with us was far too short, the love he gave and the lives he helped touch will carry his legacy forward in ways we may never fully know.
As his mama, my goal has always been to create awareness, build a more inclusive community, and make the world a better place for children like Waylon. In his honor, I will continue that mission, carrying his love into every life I touch and every change I help create. Waylon will forever be our beautiful boy—loved beyond words, remembered with gratitude, and living on through the precious gifts he gave to others.
So until we meet again, Swim Fast, Jump High, and Paint the sky as you run through the clouds my sweet sweet boy."
For more information on how to support Haley and Waylon's legacy, click here.
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