Autism nonprofit carries on man’s spirit, love of kids

Tracy Woodall of Coppell will not let terrorism defeat her.

The former New Yorker who lost her husband in the World Trade Center attacks carries on by honoring his love of children.

She founded the Brent Woodall Foundation for Exceptional Children to raise awareness of autism, a subject she studied in college.

“I wanted to name the foundation after him because he wanted to be a part of it,” said Ms. Woodall, a mother of two. Her daughter, Pierce, was born seven months after Sept. 11, 2001. She adopted Isabella from a Russian orphanage in 2004.

She moved to Coppell in 2003 to be near family and began work on the foundation that year. Its formal launch was in April 2004.

“We’ve had a great response and are inundated with calls,” she said. “We are a jump start for families seeking help with an autistic child.”

The services are free; the foundation operates on donations. Its first major fundraiser, which Ms. Woodall hopes will be an annual event, takes place a day before the fourth anniversary of the WTC attacks. “Walkabout for Autism: With Only 10,000 Steps You Can Make a Difference” will be from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 10 at Andy Brown Jr. Community Park East, 206 E. Parkway Blvd. in Coppell. Register at www.woodallkids.org or call Jamie Tucker at 469-879-0877.