"Love on the Spectrum" star Abby Romeo recently opened up about her experiences growing up with autism, revealing, "When I was a kid, I often felt left out in the cold."
Romeo, now 26, appeared on the podcast "The Squeeze", hosted by "Twilight" actor Taylor Lautner and his wife, Tay Lautner, alongside her mother, Christine. During the episode, Abby discussed the difficulties she faced navigating childhood with autism.
"I felt very isolated and alone," Romeo shared. "I always believed that as an adult, I wouldn’t feel left out anymore. I thought I’d be accepted and finally able to fit in."
Tay Lautner asked her directly, “Was it hard growing up with autism?”
“It was,” Romeo replied. “My brain wouldn’t always cooperate with what I was trying to do. I used to relate to Ariel from "The Little Mermaid" because she wanted to be where the people were — just like I wanted to be around the other kids.”
She continued, “When Ariel finally got to land and became human, she couldn’t speak. That’s exactly how I felt — like I couldn’t find my voice.”
Diagnosed at around two and a half years old, Romeo and her mother, Christine, reflected on how the understanding and treatment of autism have evolved since she was a child.
"Back then, the focus was on job training and life skills," Christine explained. "Abbey had significant challenges with communication — learning language, connecting with others, and fitting in was incredibly tough. Things are different now."
Abby, who documented her relationship with her boyfriend David on the popular Netflix series, emphasized the importance of finding a partner who truly understands one's unique way of thinking. "To find your 'perfect match,' you need someone who gets how your mind works," she advised.
She also shared that being recognized by people brings her a sense of belonging. "People recognize me wherever I go," she said. "It feels incredibly fulfilling when they do. It makes me feel so excited — like I'm part of the group."
The Quran - Chapter Al-Ma'arij: 03- 04
from Allah, Lord of pathways of ˹heavenly˺ ascent,
˹through which˺ the angels and the ˹holy˺ spirit will ascend to Him on a Day fifty thousand years in length.
