“We have to focus on differences, because if we do like the others, well, we can’t stand out! » says Francis Levine-Croteau with a smile, who has to deal with autism spectrum disorders in his daily life. His journey has been strewn with obstacles and difficulties, but he believes that today, by believing in himself, he is currently living a stimulating period in his life and he wants to realize his dreams and help people like him to better themselves. understand and flourish.
“I think I was misunderstood from the start,” summarizes the 30-year-old resident of Sainte-Julie. His hypersensitivity, particularly to noise, combined with autism, complicated his relationships with others, while he was pushed aside and intimidated. Francis Levine-Croteau says his autism diagnosis in 2022 allowed him to know himself better, to understand himself better and also to be better understood by others. And since then, his life has been transformed.
He speaks with pride of his recent participation in the Master’s US ProMiniGolf Association in Carolina, which brought together 80 participants from the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia, among others. Francis won a scholarship there since he finished in the top 20 in the world and first in Canada, while he is in his first year of experience in mini-golf.
In a way, what he accomplished there is a symbol of his different journey. He explains that in 2011 he had to have surgery for scoliosis which was deforming his spine. For his tee shots, he couldn’t do like the others, but it proved effective. “I managed to do my own technique. It’s by doing things differently that I find myself being someone who can surpass others,” he explains.
World record and new show
It was not the first time that Francis surprised those close to him since he established a world mark which is still valid on the site Record Setter – The Home of World Records, i.e. 14 strikes in one minute at small pins, video at the ‘support. Francis has made several appearances on television for his sporting prowess and his fascination with this medium has led him to work voluntarily for Télévision Rive-Sud for 12 years as a cameraman and director. His experience in the field then allowed him to land professional contracts as a cameraman.
The Julievillois has also found himself in front of the camera over the years as an extra in well-known series such as Stat, Mea Culpa and Lesarmes. Francis is also featured in the show Critiques atypicals, which features autistic people invited to the table of great restaurants and they criticize without filter the cuisine of chefs, often renowned. The production company behind the concepts of Big Brother, MasterChef and Survivor has just acquired the world rights to the Quebec show produced by Pixcom.
Sitting in the heart of the studio that he built with the help of his father in the basement of the family home, Francis animates, produces and entirely directs his new television concept, We bet on differences. In this 10-part series, he interviews public figures such as Mathieu Gratton and Charles Lafortune about the challenges faced by children with autism and how they overcame them.
“What I want is to make a difference with people, whether they are autistic, in a wheelchair, etc. We must help them to flourish. Just because we’re different doesn’t mean we can’t go far in life! » he says with a laugh that he wants to spread everywhere on small and big screens.
To learn more about Francis Levine-Croteau, you can follow him on his Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/flcroteau/
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