Issue date: 5/21/10 Section: Features

Media Credit: Ian Jones Fran Peek talks with Priscilla la Mihn, winner of the Kim "real rain man" award for her work with autistic children, after the awards ceremony.

At first glance he appears to be very reserved and withdrawn. One hearing aid is in each of his 84 year-old ears. Fran Peek sits for a few moments in his own thoughts.
Once he is approached by students after the Psi Beta awards ceremony, though his voice is quiet and soft spoken, his love and overwhelming pride, of his son Kim comes out as he tells story after story of the light and laughter his son brought into this world.
Getting Peek to talk about himself and what he accomplished for those with disabilities is quite a difficult maneuver. No matter how specific the question is targeted towards Peek, he always brings every answer back to his son Kim.
This is why he has returned to LPC, to speak to the Psychology Club about the passing of his son and how he remembers Kim. He also came to witness the first time LPC's Psi Beta honor society awarded the Kim Peek "Real Rainman" award to those who have worked to help those with disabilities just as Kim and Fran have done.
Not only did Fran Peek take care of his son, Kim, also known as the "megasavant" and inspiration for the film "Rain Man", all day every day, but he devoted his life to fighting for equal rights for those suffering from metal and physical disabilities. The legislation that Peek wrote and helped to get passed has changed education for disabled students. Without Peek and his work, LPC would be a far different place, according to Jones.
"Fran Peek is the most committed to helping others and selfless person I have ever known," said Ernie Jones, Psychology Professor at LPC, who has been close with Fran and Kim Peek for the last five years.
Fran was the sole caretaker of Kim, spending all day everyday with him. They showered together. They shaved together. They shared the same shadow. While Fran was spending all this time taking care of his son, he accomplished many things. He worked to establish and was the co-founder of the Association for Retarded Citizens (ARC) in Utah, their home state. He also sat on the national board for ARC and while doing so, wrote legislation for Utah, which established equal rights, and education for disabled students.

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