Parents Wanted Their Autistic Son To Be Independent—so They Got To Work

Newsweek

25-05-2025

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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When a 14-second TikTok video capturing 21-year-old Bobby Smith crossing the backyard to pilfer a scoop of ice from his parents' kitchen went viral, it looked like any lighthearted family moment. But for his parents, Cheri and Bob Smith, from West Virginia, it symbolized something far deeper—peace, progress, and a path to independence.
The video, shared to Instagram on May 13 under @bobbystinyhouseworld, has been liked more than 117,000 times. Viewers saw Bobby, who is "profoundly autistic," passing from his tiny home to his parents' home—a journey of just a few steps, but a monumental shift for a family once teetering on the edge of burnout.
"He was diagnosed with autism at two," Bobby's parents told Newsweek. "He also has an intellectual disability, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and a seizure disorder."
She described daily family life as "challenging but manageable" until the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown changed everything.
With schools closed and routines upended, Bobby's increasingly intense rituals— driven by his OCD—engulfed the family.
"We were not getting a break from each other," they said. "The stress in our household was palpable."
Conversations with his primary doctors and caseworkers soon turned to the difficult possibility of residential treatment.
"As the mom, I was really struggling with this decision," Cheri added. "It just didn't feel like the right move for him, for us."
The couple also considered selling their home and building a larger property from scratch. It was not what they had ever wanted to do, with them both very happy in their home, but by that point they would have done anything to "save [their] family."
A breakthrough leading to the idea of developing a tiny house came one day as the couple stood by a window that overlooks their back yard.
"I asked Bob if we could put a tiny home or an RV in our yard," Cheri said. "He said yes."
With spray paint in hand, they mapped the space in the backyard, and within weeks, after visits to multiple builders, they found one who matched their vision.
"An hour after we started the design process, we had a house designed with only Bobby's needs in mind," the couple explained.
Four weeks later, the structure arrived and by August 11, 2024, Bobby was sleeping in very his own place for the first time in his life. His parents, who acknowledge this may not be the right move for every family, say that for them the decision was incredibly positive, with the results immediately transformative.
"Bobby began trying new foods," his parents said. "He went from a diet of mostly chicken nuggets and fries to eating fresh fruits, vegetables, and well-rounded variety of meats."
More crucially, the behaviors tied to his conditions that had dominated the family's daily life—from emotional overwhelm to aggression—disappeared.
From left: Cheri and Bob Smith stand outside of their son Bobby's tiny house; and Bobby walking from his tiny house to his parents' kitchen in an Instagram video.
From left: Cheri and Bob Smith stand outside of their son Bobby's tiny house; and Bobby walking from his tiny house to his parents' kitchen in an Instagram video.
@bobbystinyhouseworld
"He's lived in his tiny house for nine months now with no meltdowns," his mom said.
Buoyed by their son's progress, the Smiths began sharing their journey on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook to connect with other people who are caregivers to children or adults with similar conditions.
"I just knew that there were so many families out there that are struggling like ours," Cheri said. "The outpouring of love and support from viewers online has been incredible."
The recent viral clip—a simple shot of Bobby walking to his parents' kitchen—resonated far beyond their expectations.
"This 14-second video is so much more than it seems at face value," Cheri said. "It is just a glimpse into a family doing an everyday normal activity. For us, it was monumental."
She added: "My husband and I kept saying to each other, can you believe that we are just able to sit here like this and enjoy the morning? It had been years since we had been able to have moments like this. So when Bobby came out and walked by, looking like we were annoying parents, we were beyond grateful and thrilled that this easy, uneventful moment was happening for us."
Bobby's tiny home, once a solution born of necessity and later crafted with love, is now regularly shared with thousands of families online hoping to find similar solutions for their loved ones.
"The fact that so many viewers online shared that moment with us is a privilege," the couple said.