Andrew was born in Auckland, New Zealand on 6 May 1968 and lived in Guelph from January 1969. At the age of four, he was diagnosed with what was then called “classic autism”. He was a founding member of the first class for autistic children in Wellington County.
In his teens, the lack of local services meant that he had to live away from home, often at considerable distances from Guelph. In his memoir (2011) he told us how important his twin sister Vickie was in his learning to cope with what sometimes seemed an alien world. He was devastated by her death in a winter traffic accident in February 1996.
Since that time his parents Elizabeth and Gerald and his friends have supported the whole good life that was designed by and around Andrew and based in his own home. Unable to speak with his voice, he taught himself to read and, with the aid of Supported Typing, composed some 200 poems, was author of several books and, with assistance, envisioned and created many paintings. His most recent book was for children: Friendmakers is a series of stories about his companion dogs.
During his lifetime, he contributed to the development of many forms of support that have helped other people with complex needs. These included: creating a home of his own managed by a housing trust; imagining the self-directed support corporations we call Aroha entities (also known as microboards); and testing nutritional and sensory strategies to overcome severe health problems. Above all, he pioneered the communication support group Bridges Over Barriers which first met in January 2004.
Andrew made several videos about his life and inspired the short dramatic film Holding in the Storm (2013). His community influence was recognized by a Guelph Mayor’s award in 2013 for being a “difference maker”.
He will be missed by his parents, friends and running partners in the Riverside Park district, and by many others around the world.
Cremation has taken place. Arrangements entrusted to WALL-CUSTANCE FUNERAL HOME & CHAPEL (519-822-0051 / www.wallcustance.com).
A tree will be planted in memory of Andrew J. Bloomfield in the Wall-Custance Memorial Forest.