PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Foot Locker partnered with a Pinellas County artist as part of their autism acceptance campaign.
The 26-year-old's artwork with the words "Be Kind" is printed on a T-shirt that is now available on the store's website. Dane Capo was diagnosed with epilepsy at 10 months old and autism when he turned 5.
“He wants the things that he sees everyone else having in the world," Krista Capo, Dane's mom, said.
Krista says her son who is now 26 years old started painting when he was 16. She says he quickly became very good at it.
“Being an artist and being in the studio every day can be lonely for him," she explained.
She says although Dane loves to create artwork, he is still searching for work. Krista says he had an interview with a food store recently and they never called him back.
“The thing that gets to me the most is how much rejection can one person take," she said.
She says if their art studio becomes big enough and they have the opportunity to hire people down the line, they plan to hire those with disabilities. She says it's so important to spread acceptance.
According to Autism Speaks, the disease affects 1 in 44 children. Experts say the signs of autism usually appear at a young age. It is often accompanied by seizures, sleep disorders and other health issues.
Along with the Foot Locker tee-shirts, Dane's original art is also available in his studio. His artwork is on canvases, shirts, mugs, cards and more.