Hi! I’m Harry Yu, a software engineering intern at Abby Care. Growing up with autism, I often found it difficult to form friendships early in my life, so I turned to video games as a source of joy and creativity. This led me to discover computer science, and I began creating video games as a way to express myself. Coding became a deep passion for me over time, not only because it boosted my self-confidence but also helped me connect with like-minded friends who shared my interests. Now, being able to combine this passion with Abby Care’s mission of supporting families with children like me is deeply meaningful.
This past fall, I decided to take a gap year and join Abby Care because their mission really resonated with me. As someone with autism, my mom spent countless hours caring for me and helping me develop my social skills. Abby Care provides families like mine with in-home support for children with special needs. If this program had been around when I was in elementary school, my mom would have definitely used it.
A friend introduced me to Abby Care. After reaching out to the founder and going through the interview process, I was fortunate enough to land a software engineering internship there. Getting this internship was an exciting step, as it gave me the opportunity to contribute to meaningful work while growing as a software engineer.
My first project at Abby Care taught me very important lessons. I thought it would be simple, but ended up encountering many more challenges than anticipated. By resolving each error, I learned the importance of debugging systematically and seeking efficient solutions. I also realized how vital it is to collaborate with my co-workers. When I got stuck, I learned to proactively ask for help rather than banging my head against the bug.
After I finished my first project, I started to tackle increasingly complex projects that required optimizing both the frontend and backend code. Working in a high-performance engineering culture and testing my code many times to ensure it looks optimal has helped me improve my software engineering skills to an entirely different level.
Besides interning at Abby Care, I also learned two important lessons in moving from my small, rural Oregon hometown to San Francisco. It's pretty cool how easy it is to get around even in a big city—just hop on public transit and let Google Maps do its thing. Living with roommates was a bit of an adjustment; I had to change some of my habits, which wasn't always fun. However, they were necessary areas of personal growth.
Overall, interning at Abby Care and living in San Francisco have been nothing short of transformative. It has not only helped me advance my coding and teamwork skills and taught me how to live with roommates in a big city, but also moved me much closer to my ultimate career goal of building technologies to help those impacted by autism. Prior to this internship I thought only nonprofits and schools provided meaningful support to people with disabilities, but Abby Care has shown me that impact-driven startups can also have a huge impact on families with special needs children.
I am honored to be on the Abby Care team and look forward to what the final few months of my internship will bring!
Harry’s story is proof that every child has unique strengths waiting to be nurtured. For parents, his journey is a beacon of hope—showing that with the right support, patience, and encouragement, children with autism can thrive in ways they never imagined. Whether it’s discovering a hidden talent, building self-confidence, or finding a passion that turns into a career, every step forward is a victory worth celebrating.
At Abby Care, we are committed to creating more success stories like Harry’s. Every child deserves the chance to shine, and with the right resources and encouragement, they can achieve extraordinary things. If you are a parent looking for support, know that you are not alone—we are here to help, every step of the way.
