A Nassau University Medical Center employee was honored Monday for making what's being called a miraculous breakthrough with a teenager with autism.

Tracy Hermer, of Freeport, says the care her nonverbal son Michael DeLuca, 17, received from NUMC patient care assistant Michael Rayson changed everything.

"They treated him with such joy and respect and love and Michael responded to it," she says.

Hermer says her son was admitted to NUMC after injuring himself. That's when he met Rayson.

Rayson says he worked with DeLuca every day. After medication changes and hundreds of therapy sessions, he says he was able to gain Deluca's trust.

Eventually, DeLuca started to communicate. Hermer says she feels like she has her son back.

Rayson was honored by the hospital for not only doing his job, but for also making a huge difference in DeLuca's life.

Hospital officials say because of the care DeLuca received, they were able to place him in a specialized, full-time program for children with autism.

April is Autism Awareness Month. The disorder affects 1 in every 59 children nationwide.