Levi Heisinger can tell you all about Mars and what it's like to be on the spectrum

Levi Heisinger is a space enthusiast. His favorite planet is Mars ― his favorite topic of conversation is the Mars rover ― and he knows constellation names by heart.

Heisinger, 19, shares all his knowledge with visitors to the New Mexico Museum of Space History where he works in the planetarium.

Last year, he began as an intern at the Alamogordo museum. He thrived in his role so much so that the internship counselor and manager offered him a full time position.

“I began here (the museum) because of my initial interest in DVR (New Mexico Division of Vocational Rehabilitation),” he said. “I just recently graduated from Alamogordo High School last year, I was able to join this internship program while I was there along with DVR, that introduced me to the museum.”

The New Mexico Division of Vocational Rehabilitation is a facility in Alamogordo that focuses on the prosperity of people with disabilities. Heisinger was diagnosed with autism in grade school but was unsure what it really meant at the time.

Crystal Hicks, Heisingers's DVR counselor, said sometimes people who have disabilities just need to know someone is in their corner.

"Levi is the poster child for anything is possible," Hicks said. "The purpose of DVR is to help people with disabilities remove any barriers they have to their version of success; we help with referrals and financially so they can gain access to the things they need in order to gain employment."

Hicks said all Heisinger needed was a little more confidence.

"Disabilities are different for everyone, people have invisible disabilities. For instance, when someone says they don't look like they have a disability," she said. "I hate that microaggression. Levi qualified (because of) his diagnoses with autism, this is not an intellectual or visible disability, but he has difficulty understanding social queues."

After qualifying for the internship program through DVR, Heisinger hit the ground running, so much so that the manager at the planetarium at the time told Heisinger they would create a position at the planetarium specifically for him.

"This kid is amazing," Hicks said. "Levi has a way of looking at life and it makes you want to look at life differently. Like the way he talks about his interests, I may need a dictionary but to understand some of the terms, but he draws you in because you can feel the excitement in him."

She said Heisinger does not have a disability, he has a superpower.

"Nobody does things the same way," she said. "When I first met him, his head was down. He is at least 6'2, so as tall as he is, he was slumped over, didn't make eye contact. I thought he has no confidence in himself. All he needed was a cheerleader. All Levi Heisinger needed was to know that he is enough."

Heisinger said he is thankful for the push Hicks gave him because as a man on the spectrum, he found it difficult to network with peers and authority figures.

“When I was young, I think my biggest problem and what I had trouble with was speaking to people that were older than me or in a high position,” Heisinger said. “It was hard for me because I would freeze up or get nervous. I really did not know what to do and I definitely did not like it. I hate having to speak to any authority figure because I just didn’t know how to.”

As he got older, he learned to overcome this obstacle with help.

“My grandfather taught me much of what I know about autism today,” he said. “He is also on the spectrum.”

Coping with autism spectrum disorder

Heisinger said his grandfather, Robert Heisinger, taught him a small trick to deal with his fear of speaking to those in authority.

"I froze whenever someone talked to me, but the way I overcame that was through my grandpa," he said. "He taught me masking.

"We have something called masking on the autism spectrum and we basically mask our symptoms of autism. He taught me to look at people's noses, so it looks like I am making eye contact, but I am not."

Robert Heisinger was diagnosed with high functioning autism and learned coping mechanisms to deal with an overwhelming feeling which he shared with his grandson.

"With his (Levi) situation, what he may perceive in his mind as being difficult, what I have helped him do is plan around or process those difficulties," Robert Heisinger said.

"Reality therapy is what they call it at New Mexico State. One of the things you learn in psychology class is people who are having difficulty in situations is that you bring them through this therapy, in other words, is this really happening or just your perception of what's happening."

Heisinger said that those with autism find it a difficult concept to grasp. He said if something is out of the ordinary many times people with autism will fixate on the problem, so he has helped his grandson asses the problem and solve it.

He said one of the things he emphasizes to the younger man is not working the problem but working toward a solution.

Heisinger said often it helps to have a hobby. For his grandson, Levi, it's guitar and books.

Overcoming the little things and aiming for greater heights

Robert Heisinger said playing the guitar is an "out" that helps provide his grandson order as he learns to manage living with autism.

"With music you have order. You need to have that regimentation of a, b, c, d on the note scale or certain note progression which brings order in your life, so if it feels like your life is out of order or in disarray, go to the music and it brings you back to center," he said.

Languages and books also provide him with a creative outlet.

"I also read and teach myself different languages," Levi Heisinger said. "I'll bring a couple of books I'm reading to work with me, or I'll work on my next lesson to learn a language."

He is learning Mandarin and knows four other languages.

His creativity extends to work, where he crafts new teaching tools to use at the planetarium.

Heisinger's latest project is aimed toward the blind. He has started constructing boards with etched, stitched and pinned designs of the constellations for students who visit from the New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired to feel, a concept similar to Braille.

Until that's complete, Heisinger loves teaching high school and middle school students about Mars and space.

Although his autism can sometimes present some challenges, Heisinger said it does not diminish his person. In fact, he stayed resilient.

"I was bullied in high school. They would tell me I had the type of face people just wanted to punch," Heisinger said. "I would just keep to myself or go to my advisory period where I could play my guitar."

Despite the hard memory, Heisinger said Alamogordo School District was accommodating of his disability.

"The high school was really good about giving me my own time when I needed it. My advisory period teacher actually taught me how to play and I would play with him during class, it actually helped me so much," he said. "I'm actually very grateful for the school district."

He said he would advise anyone with autism going through what he did to reach out to anyone.

"I just really want to tell young people with autism that they are not alone. Don't be afraid to speak up," he said.

"When I did, I had so much support. But I was scared at first; don't be scared. There's help everywhere, you just have to be willing to look for it."

Juan Corral can be reached at JCorral@gannett.com or on X, formerly Twitter at @Juan36Corr.

This article originally appeared on Alamogordo Daily News: Levi Heisinger knows all about Mars, and what it means to be autistic