Donald Gray Triplett, known as Patient One, was born in 1933 in Forest and was the first person clinically diagnosed with autism. Don’s parents, Beaman and Mary Triplett, recognized their son’s remarkable nature and worked hard to ensure his happiness and success.
The Triplett family made significant contributions to Mississippi. Beaman Triplett was a Yale-educated attorney in Forest, and tragically died in a car accident in 1980. Mary Triplett was the daughter of the founder of the Bank of Forest and Major Millsaps of Millsaps College. She also became the first female member of the Board of Trustees of Belhaven University.
Don’s story, along with his family and hometown, was chronicled in the Pulitzer Prize finalist book In A Different Key: The Story of Autism by John Donvan and Caren Zucker. This book also inspired an award-winning documentary of the same name. Both platforms have offered promise to other families dealing with the unique realities of autism.
Don’s brother, Oliver Triplett, who passed away in 2020, facilitated interactions between Don and the journalists. As brothers often do, Oliver played a significant role in his brother’s life and was also an attorney in Forest.
The authors, both accomplished journalists, embarked on a search for the first formally diagnosed autistic person. Their quest led them to Forest, Mississippi, where they met Don Triplett. In 1943, Don became “Case No. 1,” diagnosed by Dr. Leo Kanner at Johns Hopkins University. Kanner examined and treated Don, providing much-needed help and answers.
In both the book and the film, Forest, Mississippi, is described as a nurturing community that embraced Don despite his differences, which were not widely understood at the time. In fact, many community members were unaware of Don’s autism diagnosis and his place in medical history.
Don graduated from Forest High School, East Central Community College, and Millsaps College. He was involved in Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity and enjoyed golfing, socializing with friends and church members, and interacting with customers at the Bank of Forest. Don had an exceptional love for music and possessed perfect pitch. Those who knew him shared that any key could be played on the piano, and he could tell you the note without looking.
Don extensively traveled the world—alone and by his own choice. Known as a “math wiz,” he also started working at the Bank of Forest in 1958 and is remembered as a “fixture” at the small Mississippi city bank about 40 miles east of Jackson. He worked there for 65 years and passed away just last year, in 2023, at 89.
Don Triplett was an American banker, a son, a brother, a friend, and the first person diagnosed with autism who left a lasting impact on the world. He became a role model for individuals with autism and showed families and communities that differences should be celebrated, and never seen as weaknesses.
