Suvechha Sarkar
‘The Unbreakable Boy’ draws inspiration from the remarkable life of Austin LeRette, a boy born with a genetic bone disease and also has autism. The Jon Gunn movie depicts how his journey was nothing short of unique, inspiring, and a source of joy for everyone around him, making others understand what it feels like to live life freely. Despite frequent bone fractures and other challenges due to his condition, he has maintained an infectious positivity within him that transforms one’s outlook towards the world. Austin’s father, Scott LeRette, was the first to chronicle their family’s experience in the memoir, ‘The Unbreakable Boy: A Father’s Fear, a Son’s Courage, and a Story of Unconditional Love.’ His story has challenged the conventional notions of normalcy and brought the narrative to a wider audience.
Austin LeRette’s Life is Marked With Equal Challenges and Triumphs
Austin LeRette was born in North Carolina, but he and his family moved to Red Oak, Iowa, since the former had faced several daunting medical challenges since childhood. At a very young age, he was diagnosed with genetic brittle bone disease, known as Osteogenesis Imperfecta or OI, and inherited it from his mother, Teresa. According to the now 30-year-old, he has been counting since he was little and had broken over 60 bones, all of them at an alarming frequency. His father described an instance when he ended up breaking the back of his son while they were playing on a swing, and he ended up falling on his son, which ultimately led him to be in a cast for six months.
When he was young, Austin used to have temper tantrums that would go on for several hours. He once ended up putting a video game cord around his younger brother, Logan’s neck, which ultimately led him to be admitted to the psychiatric ward at age 7. He was soon diagnosed with autism, which was one of the quirks that prompted the moving of the family away from the big city to their small hometown since his parents believed they would be understanding of his specialties. Although they were concerned for his well-being, Scott explained, “He’s 10 times more comfortable in his own skin than I am.” Austin, AKA “The AuzMan,” also has hearing problems, which made him spend most of his time at the Iowa School for the Deaf.
Austin is Active Professionally and is a Passionate Movie Buff
Austin embraces his life as a person with autism and believes that it makes him special. Talking about it, his mother stated, “I think what’s unique about his Autism is that Austin can truly be himself.” According to her, he can truly be himself around others, and that is what everyone should aspire to be. He was a student at Iowa Western Community College from 2014 to 2016. Over the years, the 30-year-old has been actively working in different positions, ranging from managing front-end inventory at Target to washing dishes at Iowa School for the Deaf. He has also worked as a prep cook chef at The Rainbow Cafe since he has always wanted to be a chef, with Emeril-Bam being the first culinary artist he fell in love with. He has been working at Marcus Twin Creek Cinema since June 2023 and has also received appreciation as the best worker.
Austin grabs every chance he gets and makes sure to immerse himself in diverse cinematic experiences, whether it be crime thriller or superhero movies. He considers ‘The Big Lebowski’ to be his most favorite movie, with ‘The Unbreakable Boy’ being the second. His passion for films is further evident from his extensive collection of movies and the amount of time he visits the theatre with his friends and family to watch the recently released pictures. In addition to his love for movies, he is also fond of collecting unique hats, with some of them including a Lakers hat from Los Angeles airport, a Boston Scally hat, and many more on the list. Besides these interests, he has an exceptional love for toys, assembling Lego models, listening to music, and playing video games on his PlayStation.
A Big Part of Austin’s Life Revolves Around His Family and Friends
For as long as Austin can remember, he has always loved his family and friends and has loved making new friends, whether it be his coworkers or a person standing behind him at a restaurant. The bond between him and his father has always been special since childhood and was showcased more in the film. The duo always spends time together, from visiting movie theatres to watching films to trying out different foods from new restaurants. He also fosters a close bond with his mother and always receives her support whenever they are flying together since he is afraid of planes. The family traveled together to Los Angeles in February 2025 and had a blast clicking pictures together and making cherishable memories.
Furthermore, Austin considers his brother Logan, who is now an Omaha Police Officer, as his hero and expresses his appreciation, writing, “He always has ways to make you smile and laugh, he’s got funny jokes, and he cares a lot about the people in his life.” He is very close to his cousins, aunt, and uncle and often spends time with them over the holidays together. Besides his familial life, he is a great friend who always spends time with his buddies, watching movies at the theatre, discussing them, and celebrating their birthdays, making them feel special.
It does not matter to him which background a person belongs from because, according to his father, “he loves you no matter who you are or what you do.” He is also a nurturing individual to his two furry dogs, Gracie and Coco. Austin also had a pet iguana, Marty, but lost him to deteriorating health, which left him heartbroken. Despite the losses and milestones of his life, Austin LeRette has continued to be an unwavering spirit and touches the life of every person he passes by.
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