Teacher of 35 years helps people with autism

One local man has made it his mission to help people with autism. He has spent the last three decades working in the same school.

FOX 29 Photojournalist Bill Rohrer has the story.

At Eden Autism in Princeton, New Jersey, Ken Dorfman never misses the students off the morning bus.

"As soon as I stepped through the door I knew that this was the place I was going to end up," he told FOX 29.

Ken's mornings begins pretty much the same way since he started back in 1981.

"I just looked in the paper and I didn't really know anything about Autism and found Eden just by chance," he explained.

Now 35 years later, he is the longest tenured teacher at the school.

"He is just one of those people who really cherishes his students and he also appreciates and respects the families that have students here at Eden," said Peter Bell, President and CEO of Eden Autism. "We are very lucky to have a great staff like Ken who have made a difference in the lives in hundreds of out participants.

Ken loves watching each student grow during school dances or earning medals in Special Olympics. competitions. But he says the most rewarding is after graduation.

"I remember when my student earned his first paycheck from Wawa and handed the paycheck over to the parents. They were crying and never thought their child would be out working," Ken explained.

Ken doesn't plan on retiring any time soon.

"I know so many people that don't like what they are doing and I feel sorry for them. I feel sad that they wake up and are like oh I got to go to work today can't wait till 5 o'clock to come home and I never felt that way."