RFK Jr. Brings Big Autism Alert News to Rochester (And a Hilarious Ringtone)

Every minute matters when an autistic child or adult wanders away from safety. That's why U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was in Rochester last week.

Kennedy unveiled a new federal effort designed to bring missing individuals home quickly and safely.

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Speaking at the Olmsted County Sheriff’s training center, Kennedy announced the National Autism Missing Person Initiative, a joint effort between HHS, the Department of Justice, and FEMA. The plan aims to build a nationwide rapid-alert framework, similar to an Amber Alert, specifically for individuals on the spectrum who are prone to wandering.

It’s an important initiative that will save lives, and the room was focused on the serious subject, until the Health Secretary's phone went off.

Right in the middle of his speech, Kennedy was interrupted when his cell phone blared loud and clear from his pocket. The ringtone? A duck quacking. He quickly silenced the incoming call, apologized, and got right back to business.

We’ve all been there, right? You forget to silence your phone, and it blares at the absolute worst possible moment, whether that's during church, in a quiet movie theater, or right in the middle of a meeting.

Rochester Was Intentionally Selected for the Rollout 

Federal officials selected Rochester for the national launch because of the incredible track record of our local Project Lifesaver program. According to the Olmsted County Sheriff's Office, the lifesaving program has been active in Rochester since 2007, originally brought to the community through a partnership with the RT Autism Awareness Foundation.

An official rollout date for the national alert system hasn't been set yet.