'We just need to stick together' Erin McClean says daughter's autism brought family closer

Life for the McClean family is certainly not slow-paced but when their daughter, Willow Ivy and dad James were diagnosed with autism, the couple knew things would have to change.

James and Erin share four children James Junior, Allie Mae, Willow Ivy and Mia Rose who are their dad’s biggest fans and are always there in the stands cheering him on.

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For Mum and Dad the last few years have been a learning curve but it is one that Erin says she ‘Wouldn’t have changed this experience for the world.’

Footballer James McClean and his wife Erin and their six-year-old daughter Willow-Ivy who were in Dublin with AsIAm, Ireland’s Autism Charity Picture Brian McEvoy

Sitting down with EVOKE Erin recalls that significant moment when she learned that her daughter had autism.

‘Autism to me was something that just wasn’t part of my world’ she said ‘It’s a word that when you look it up, it’s really scary as a parent when you’re trying to do the best for her and help her…I struggled probably for the first two years I found it really hard because I didn’t know where to turn. I didn’t know where to look.’

Erin felt that ‘Unless you are living it you don’t truly understand it but further on the journey you find a community. People who are going through the same thing or have been through the same thing,’ and often Erin told us that Instagram has been her saviour with many others out there opening up about their experiences.

Footballer James McClean and his six-year-old daughter Willow-Ivy who were in Dublin with AsIAm, Ireland’s Autism Charity celebrating World Autism Month. Picture Brian McEvoy

A year after Willow-Ivy was diagnosed with autism Erin began to notice that her husband James had similar traits and convinced him to go and get tested when it was discovered that he also has autism.

Determined to make a change not just for himself but for his daughter and the future of others, James has since teamed up with AsIAm a charity that helps, guides and advises the wider community and parents about autism.

Footballer James McClean pictured with his six-year-old daughter Willow-Ivy in Dublin with AsIAm, Ireland’s Autism Charity celebrating World Autism Month. Picture Brian McEvoy

With April being World Autism Month, James took time out of his busy schedule to pop over to Dublin with Erin and Willow-Ivy to support the organisation and to meet with some young autistic football fans from the group’s Family Support Programme.

Pic: Erin McClean/Instagram

But like most parents out there worry comes hand in hand with the job and Erin says that while she is content with her daughter’s progression now, she does fear about the future. ‘The world can be quite cruel…but I do worry about that when she gets older in school and when kids start recognising a difference.

‘Even for the future someday we’ll not be here. I think she’s very lucky to have the brother and sister that she has.’

For Erin and her family, it is all about being there for one another, ‘I wouldn’t have changed this experience for the world because I genuinely think it’s made us, as a family; we just need to stick together.’

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