Superheroic Bond Between Chesco Brothers Captured In Book About Autism

DOWNINGTOWN, PA — Just mention Batman, and 23-year-old Zach Stehle’s eyes light up.

Batman, also known as Bruce Wayne, is the superhero aficionado’s favorite comic book character.

“Batman is the most human of all of the superhero characters,” Zach said. “He always faces a challenge that he pushes himself through just like I do. I am always pushing myself through.”

Zach, who is on the autism spectrum, motivated his younger brother, Josh, 21, to write a book, ‘I Am A Superhero Expert: Growing Up With My Autistic Brother.’
Josh is a junior at West Chester University, and his brother, Zach, lives in Downingtown and works full-time at a Giant grocery store.

The Stehle brothers are best friends. During an interview this week with Patch, they displayed a bond of friendship and admiration seldom seen between brothers.

“Zach is my best friend,” Josh said, putting his arm around his brother during the interview at the food court in the Exton Mall. “Our goal with the book is for everyone to learn about autism. I am not a doctor. I am a guy with a brother who has autism.”

The book provides first-hand knowledge of living with a brother on the autism spectrum. Josh conducted research and also interviewed 100 ordinary people about what they understand about autism.
In the book, Josh wrote the interviews were the start of conversations broadening the understanding of autism, a neurological disorder that is incurable.

Zach said his symptoms started when he was a young boy, and he had trouble speaking and keeping up with conversations.
“You may not realize you are autistic,” Zach said. “It’s a way of processing information.”
But now, he said, he can have conversations with anyone.
Zach graduated from Pennsylvania Leadership Charter School, an online school that provides individualized programs. He then obtained an associate's degree in applied science at Delaware County Community College.
“I flourished,” Zach said of his education. “Pennsylvania Leadership is a great school. I kept to my schedule and did all of my assignments. It was a great experience.”

Superheroes

Zach’s interest in superheroes began a decade ago when he was exposed to “Avengers,” a superhero movie based on Marvel comics.
“It was a light and a spark,” Zach recalled. “I started subscribing to comic books. I get really excited when a new character comes out.”
Zach learned a lot about comics working at UnCanny!, a comic book store in King of Prussia Plaza that features everything available about superheroes.

He has since become an encyclopedia of superheroes, comic books, movies, and graphic novels.“I don’t know anything about superheroes compared to my brother,” Josh admitted.
The two have a Tik Tok site on which Josh quizzes his brother about superheroes.
Josh, meanwhile, was developing his interest as a writer at Arcadia University, where he first started college and was on the basketball team.
Fascinated by his brother’s knowledge of superheroes, Josh took a semester off and began writing the book.
The brothers are planning to write another book but declined to reveal the focus.

“Zach is coming up with ideas,” Josh said. “Our message is everyone is special in their own way. Everyone had strengths and opportunities.”
Zach said he gets a lot of satisfaction from making people smile.
“People are thinking, why can’t I be like everyone else?” Zach said. “Embrace who you are. I want to be understood.”
The 113-page book is available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.