Unsung Heroes award recipients include North Bay family for their work supporting children with autism

A North Bay, Ont., couple have been honoured as unsung heroes for supporting children on the autism spectrum.

Mark and Lesley Lyons were nominated by the community to receive the Rotary Club of North Bay's Unsung Heroes Service Award, which recognizes individuals who have identified a need in the community and taken action to address it. Organizers say the Lyons, and other recipients of the award, exemplify Rotary's motto of "service above self."

Morning North11:28North Bay couple was recognized for their support for children on the autism spectrum

Mark and Leslie Lyons's son Jack was diagnosed with autism at the age of two. Since his death, they've been on a mission to support kids who are on the spectrum. Their efforts are being recognized with an Unsung Hero Service Award.

The married couple became advocates for autism awareness after discovering their son, Jack, had autism spectrum disorder at two years old.

"We just had no support or no help. We started with One Kids Place. I started a thing called Light it Up Blue in North Bay, bringing awareness of what autism is. From there, people said, 'How can we help," explained Mark, referring to the local children's treatment centre.

The couple went on to host a virtual autism panel in North Bay, offer one-on-one assistance to families and sell Light It Up Blue socks to raise money for the event. They also organized the Ride for Jack scavenger hunts to raise funds for One Kids Place.

In April 2022, Jack, who had epilepsy, died after attending a hockey game in Ottawa. However, his parents continue to honour his legacy.

"He was the kindest guy in the room. There was no question he changed us for the better," said his father.

"I endeavoured to make a good day for him. That was kind of our philosophy and he had very little verbal [skills] but when he came home, he said 'daddy,' I had a good day and that was very important to me. Small things were always important to me."

During the pandemic, the family helped create the Jack Lyons Playground, a sensory-based space designed to enhance the lives of children on the autism spectrum.

"It's a very serene place for me… you can just hear the hum that some of the kids make [like] Jack would make a hum when he was happy," said Lyons.  

Mark said he never sought recognition for his efforts to support families affected by autism spectrum disorder.

"I was overwhelmed … We just try to help that one child and one family as much as we can. So it's nice to be recognized and I'm thankful for it. But there's a lot of great people in our community who do a lot of great things," he said.

Awards also went to:

• Peggy Morrison for her work with the Open Arms Café.
• Leo Deloyde for his volunteerism with the North Bay Indigenous Friendship Centre.
• Bryan Eade (posthumous) for his advocacy for marginalized and homeless individuals.