Al Roker & Wife Glow with Pride as Son Nick Wins 2 Gold Medals at the Special Olympics in New York

Al Roker shared photos of his son, Nick, who won two gold medals for swimming at a Special Olympics event.

Al Roker and his wife Deborah Roberts glowed with pride at their son Nick's achievement at the Special Olympics New York 'Fabulous Father's Day' event.

A proud Roker shared photos of his son on Instagram, showing off his medals.

NICK ROKER SPECIAL OLYMPICS CHAMPION

Bursting with pride, Roker posted a video of Nick competing in a swim meet at the Special Olympics New York Summer Games at Vassar College.

Nick, 16, took two gold medals. One for 25 yards butterfly, and a second gold medal for the 50 yards freestyle.

“Thanks to @nickroker155 I’m gonna have a fabulous #fathersday looking at his 2 #goldmedals from today’s @specialolympicsny #summergames,” he wrote.

Autism or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills

NICK ROKER SHOWS OFF HIS MEDALS

Roker later posted photos of his son posing with his adoring mom, as well as with his fellow athletes and proudly showing off his well-deserved medals for all the world to see.

RAISING A SPECIAL SON

Roker revealed that he had realized that Nick was different at an early age, and raising him has sometimes been a challenge.

“Do I get frustrated with my son sometimes? You bet. But then I remember my dad, how understanding he was. And Deborah reminds me that I have to show my son not only that I love him but that I like him as well. More than that, I admire him,” he said.

NICK ROKER IS "ON THE SPECTRUM"

According to Roker, Nick is on the autism spectrum and has some obsessive-compulsive traits.

Nick started to flourish after getting extensive speech, behavioral and occupational therapy.

The young man is a keen athlete who loves tae kwon do, swimming, and basketball. Nick is also a keen chess player.

“Nick is a hard worker; he’s got a great sense of humor; he’s outgoing and a good swimmer; he’s developing a pretty good top-of-the-key basketball shot. He takes chess lessons a couple times a week, and he does okay," Roker said.

Roker and Deborah couldn't have been prouder of their amazing young man who gave his dad such an incredible gift on Father's Day.

THE CHALLENGES OF THE AUTISM SPECTRUM

Like Al Roker and Deborah Roberts Autism, many parents have had to deal with the challenges and heartbreak of autism.

Autism or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech, and nonverbal communication. According to the Centers for Disease Control, autism affects an estimated 1 in 59 children in the United States today.

Among the many parents of autistic children are celebrities Robert De Niro, Toni Braxton, and Sylvester Stallone.

Like Roker and his family, they have embraced the challenge and discovered the joy in their special children.