Head Writer Dena Higley, James Reynolds, and Renee Jones Discuss the Autism Storyline on ‘The Today Show’

Head Writer Dena Higley and DAYS stars James Reynolds (Abe) and Renee Jones (Lexie) took time to chat with Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb during the fourth hour of The Today Show on Tuesday, June 24 to discuss the autism storyline in which ‘Days of Our Lives’ and Autism Speaks are teaming up to raise awareness together of the disorder.

Renee explained how she initially knew nothing about the disorder or how she didn’t realize the huge emotional toll this takes on the family. Dena explained how her own son, Connor, was diagnosed with autism at the age of three and how she based Theo’s autism on that of her own son’s. Her son is now nineteen and doing very well. Dena also has an eighteen-year-old daughter and two adopted children from Vietnam and Ethiopia. She revealed in the interview that she pulled out some dialogue which she and her husband had and put it on the paper. She briefly discussed how it impacts the husbands, as we recently saw in Abe’s case that he didn’t want to fully believe his son Theo was autistic. James explained how it’s extremely difficult to deal with in coming to the realization that one’s own child has this disorder, but there are ways of going through life with it.

This autism storyline, which began on the Tuesday, June 24th episode, will be an arc all summer long and extend way into the fall. James and Renee laughed together as they reflected that their characters had been together for a long time and had some “issues,” and this storyline will just add another layer. Visit The Today Show Website to read the article and to watch the interview clip in case you missed it.

James Reynolds Profile
DAYS Addresses Autism

Pictured: James Reynolds and Renee Jones (Abe and Lexie Carver)

Mitchell Haaseth / Copyright 2008 NBC Universal