Ashley Lewis started sharing her family’s autism journey because she remembered how alone she felt after her daughter Presley’s diagnosis.
More than a decade later, Lewis has built a large online community around family life, parenting and Presley’s milestones. She now reaches more than 1.4 million followers across Instagram and TikTok, according to PEOPLE.
One message from a high school student has stayed with her. The teen told Lewis she had been unkind to her autistic sibling, but watching Lewis’ family changed how she spoke to and interacted with her sister.
Lewis Said the Diagnosis Once Felt Lonely
When Presley was diagnosed with autism, Lewis said she felt isolated and unsure where to turn. Other parents around her were focused on milestones that did not match Presley’s path, and she said even doctors did not always know how to support her family.
“It’s so lonely,” Lewis told PEOPLE. “It’s so isolated.”
That early isolation shaped what Lewis later chose to share online. Her accounts became the kind of family and parenting space she wished she could have found when Presley was younger.
A Viral Hair Video Changed the Family’s Online Life
@lewisempire6 Our sweet Presley finally got red hair. There’s not many things she likes but red hair is an obsession. #autism #autismawareness #mixedkids #mixed #mixedcouple #redhair #blackhairstyle #braidstyles #hairstyle #redbraids #black ♬ original sound – LewisEmpire6
Lewis said her public social media presence began almost by accident after her family moved across the country. She switched her personal accounts to public, then a 2022 video of Presley getting red braids for the first time went viral.
PEOPLE reported that the video showed Lewis there was a large audience for everyday family content about autism. Her posts now include family routines, Presley’s milestones and the lessons Lewis has learned while parenting her four daughters.
Lewis’ Instagram bio describes the account as “all things family, marriage, & parenting autism.”
One Message From a Teen Stayed With Her
Lewis said the most meaningful message came from a high schooler who had a sibling with autism. The teen told Lewis she had pushed her sibling aside and spoken to her harshly before seeing the family’s content.
After watching the account, the teen said she began changing how she interacted with her sister. According to Lewis, the teen said the shift helped her sibling open up and changed the way the family connected.
Lewis told PEOPLE she is not an autism professional, but hearing that one family changed how they spoke to and understood a child meant everything to her.
Presley’s Milestones Became Part of the Story
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Lewis has also spoken about learning to celebrate milestones on Presley’s timeline rather than comparing her daughter to other children. In a separate PEOPLE interview, she said Presley began speaking at age 6 and started using her voice voluntarily at 12.
Those moments became major family celebrations. Lewis said the diagnosis eventually gave the family a plan, but the early years were marked by fear, uncertainty and a lack of clear resources.
Her posts do not present her as a clinician. They show a mother sharing what daily life, connection and progress have looked like in her own home.
The Account Became What Lewis Once Needed
Lewis said she still feels surprised that her family’s story has helped other people. She told PEOPLE she often feels like the “mom that knows the least,” even as followers continue to send messages about what the account has meant to them.
For families raising autistic children, the account offers the kind of visibility Lewis said she struggled to find after Presley’s diagnosis: another parent showing routines, hard days, progress and family connection without treating autism as something to hide.