Meet Mentee Eric Dalton

When Eric Dalton talks about theater, he lights up. His dream is to perform on

Broadway, and his passion for the stage began when he was seven years old, listening to

the cast recording of “Into the Woods.” The first musical he saw on Broadway was

“Wicked,” and he remembers the impression it made on him vividly.

“‘Wicked’ was just a magical experience. As the first thing that I saw, I thought, this

is incredible. I also got super obsessed with the technical aspects, the lighting, the

costumes, the sound design,” said Eric. “‘Wicked’ was the jumping off point, and from there,

I collected a whole bunch of playbills. In my room, there’s a bin, and it’s filled with all the

playbills that I’ve seen, in chronological order.”

You’re With Us has helped Eric pursue his love of the arts. With his mentor

Elizabeth, he takes a course at Northeastern University called “Dynamic Presence.” He

studies improv there, which he approaches fearlessly and finds comes naturally to him. His

professor, called Sam, has encouraged him to be an active part of the class and makes him

feel welcome, guiding him towards personal growth. Performing feels “thrilling,” Eric said,

and he enjoys getting to put himself up in front of a group of people. He’s taken a life lesson

away from the class — to always be your truest self.

“I’ve learned to not hide who you are,” Eric said. “If you hide a part of you, you’re not

showing people around you your most authentic self.”

Eric was diagnosed with Fragile X syndrome, a genetic condition that causes

intellectual disability. He described one of the challenges that he faced growing up as a

fluency problem. While he has difficulty with social interactions, his mother, Clare Dalton,

said that she reached out to You’re With Us in order to help him build connections. Before

the start of the pandemic, Eric had made plans to begin living more independently, and

that’s when he began partnering with the organization. Mentors at You’re With Us have

allowed Eric to become less afraid of community, he said, leading him to make new friends.

Clare said that in spite of his disorder, Eric has a wish to be social in the world.

“I think there’s a myth or belief that people with intellectual disabilities don’t want

to be included socially,” Clare said. She added, “That’s not Eric. Eric wants to be social. Eric

wants to have friends. It’s difficult for him to do that. Without assistance through an

organization like You’re With Us, he would have difficulty doing what he’s doing.” His

interest in acting has opened up doors for him and given him relationships he needed. “He

loves theater. He loves the unique window he has to be a quasi-drama student.”

Today Eric works, serving meals at a supported café in Hyde Park called Essence of

Thyme Gift Shop and Café. He’s been there for four years and calls his co-workers “the

nicest people.” His role at Essence of Thyme has given him a schedule, routine, positive

interactions, and some income. In many ways, the community there feels like a second

family, said Clare. In recent years, he has become more confident in himself, she added.

Looking back, there are many people who Eric can say have offered him an

invaluable support system, but family is very important to him, and he calls his the

“backbone” of his life. His dad is someone who has “seen the ups and downs” with him,

while his mom has also helped him through challenges. He’s especially excited that his

cousin is expecting her first child, and he’s also planning to visit Disney World, a place that

he calls “positive, happy, and safe,” with his family.

If Eric could offer any words of advice for people struggling with intellectual

disabilities, he said that he would say this:

“I know you might be feeling strange. I know it can feel a little awkward. You can feel

a little hesitant at times. But we’ve got your back, through the thickest, most terrible times,

even in the smallest, most miniscule parts of your life. Whoever might be in your system,

we’ve got you. Stay loud, stay unfiltered, and always, always be yourself.”