Technology Leader Shares Late Autism Diagnosis Story Ahead of Autism Acceptance Month

New memoir explores the life that came before a late autism diagnosis, examining decades of building without a blueprint.

“My heart and mind are screaming… we have so much in common.” — Early reader and former colleague

PITTSBURGH, PA, UNITED STATES — After more than three decades in enterprise technology leadership, Army veteran and four-time Microsoft MVP Patrick Santry is telling a different kind of story—one that only made sense in hindsight.

His new memoir, Thin Ice: Survival, Identity, and Learning Who I Was All Along, explores a late autism diagnosis that reframed a lifetime of experiences, from childhood through military service and a 30-year career in engineering and leadership.

Unlike most narratives that begin with diagnosis, Thin Ice focuses on the life that came before it.

“I didn’t become someone new,” Santry said. “I finally understood who I had already been.”

The book examines what it means to build a life that works on the surface while trying to make sense of patterns underneath—an experience increasingly resonating with adults discovering neurodivergence later in life, particularly in technical and analytical fields.

The memoir also includes a foreword by his daughter, content creator Katie Santry, offering a second perspective on growing up with a father whose way of thinking wasn’t fully understood at the time.

Releasing March 31, 2026, just ahead of Autism Acceptance Month, Thin Ice contributes to a growing conversation around late diagnosis and how individuals reinterpret their lives through that lens.

Santry is the author or co-author of multiple technical books, including Professional DotNetNuke ASP.NET Portals (Wrox Press) and IIS 5 Administrator’s Guide (McGraw-Hill). Thin Ice is his first memoir.

The book will be available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle formats.

Media Contact:
Patrick Santry
https://patsantry.com/media-kit/

Patrick Santry
Santry Technology Solutions, LLC
+1 724-219-7452
contact@patsantry.com
Visit us on social media:
LinkedIn
Instagram
Facebook
TikTok
X