Podcast Summary: The Telepathy Tapes

BONUS: Archipelago at the Treffert Center

Host: Ky Dickens
Date: November 6, 2025

Episode Overview

In this special bonus episode, The Telepathy Tapes takes listeners inside the first-ever Archipelago event at the Treffert Center in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin—a landmark gathering uniting savants from around the globe. Host Ky Dickens explores Treffert Studios, a novel creative and mental health space serving the worldwide savant community, and recounts profound stories and insights on the untapped potentials and extraordinary abilities of individuals often labeled as disabled or limited. Through intimate interviews, moving stories, and powerful music, the episode illuminates the legacy of Dr. Darold Treffert and the ongoing mission to embrace, nurture, and celebrate neurodiversity and unique genius.

Major Topics and Key Insights

The Treffert Center & Archipelago Event

• Treffert Studios: Vision and Purpose

  • Jeremy Chapman, Medical Director:

    "We knocked down the walls of this 8,500-square-foot building to have a hybrid outpatient mental health clinic and creative production studio under one roof. I don't know of any other place that has all of those together." — [01:53]

  • The aim: Bring together clinical, creative, and community support for savants; staff includes clinicians with artistic backgrounds.

• The 'Archipelago' Gathering

  • Inspired by Dr. Treffert's “Islands of Genius,” the event name symbolizes connecting individuals with unique abilities.

    "We brought islands of genius together into an archipelago and we had an art gallery there. We had a live music performance." — Jeremy Chapman [03:04]

  • The gathering is the first international event of its kind, enabling savants to meet, collaborate, and form lasting bonds.

Spotlight: Tony DeBlois – Musical Savant

• Early Life & Musical Gift

  • Born premature, blind, and autistic, Tony’s musical journey began with a toy piano at age two.
  • Janice DeBlois (Tony’s mother):

    "Tony was a preemie. He weighed a pound and three quarters of an ounce... I was actually given a choice to let Tony live or die." — [03:58]

  • Tony quickly learned "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" and other tunes; music rapidly became his language and therapy.

• Development through Music

  • Music was used to teach him everyday tasks, such as brushing teeth and hair, by matching motions to musical activities.
  • Janice:

    "They had to use his music to be able to teach him..." — [06:07]

• Education and Achievements

  • Despite being nonverbal at Berkeley College of Music, Tony learned to communicate via song lyrics and became the first blind autistic student to graduate Magna Cum Laude in 1996.
  • Now a renowned performer and visiting professor.

• Musical Range and Memory

  • Plays 23 instruments, sings in 11 languages, and can perform over 10,000 songs, often after a single listen.
  • Tony:

    "23 musical instruments in 11 different languages and nine impressions." — [05:28]

• The Importance of Family Advocacy

  • Tony’s progress credited to his mother’s relentless support:

    "When things were complicated or difficult or disconnected, they didn’t turn away. They didn’t give up. They leaned in." — Ky Dickens [08:22]

  • Janice’s advice:

    "Listen to their kids... Tune in to what your kid wants." — [09:21]

Spotlight: Grant “Jigsaw” Magne – Visual Artist

• From Paper-Tearing to Collage Art

  • Childhood behaviors (paper tearing) were initially seen as disruptive until redirected creatively by his mother.
  • Grant:

    "As Grant would tear paper, he would tear everything and he would get in trouble... I show it to my mom and she loved it. And then it just created more and more." — [10:49], [11:15]

• Eco-Art Innovations

  • Known as the “eco-friendly artist,” Grant upcycles puzzles and other materials to create award-winning art.
  • Grant:

    “My signature mark is using recycled puzzles. What I do with puzzles is I like to peel the prints off of them one at a time so they’re nice and paper thin.” — [11:45]

• Art, Collaboration, and Healing

  • Co-authors children’s books with his mother, focusing on inclusion and overcoming challenges.
  • Julie Coy (Grant’s mother):

    “…Dr. Temple Grandin has taught me the different ranges, so she calls them fully verbal, partially verbal, non verbal. Everyone had their story to tell.” — [12:19]

  • Grant’s cancer journey was supported by holistic and community-based approaches.

• Art as Therapy and Service

  • Grant’s art acts as a form of meditation and therapy; he also raises funds for special needs charities.
  • Grant:

    "Working with my art is like a form of therapy to me. It's like meditation." — [16:49]

• Voices of Inclusion Project

  • An initiative using authentic voices (not AI) to tell character-driven stories representing diverse abilities.

  • Grant:

    “I just like to say my autism does not define me. I define my autism through my talents and skills. And I hope you all will feel the same way too, whether it’s autism or anything else.” — [17:51]

Community, Connection, and Advocacy

• Dr. Treffert’s Vision Living On

  • The center continues to expand outreach, evaluation, and opportunities for the global savant community.
  • Jeremy Chapman:

    “Now we have social media where people can reach out to us and send us a link… We’re starting to craft a savant evaluation protocol... Not because we're trying to give them trophies... it’s just more about understanding the brain and guiding them.” — [23:13]

• Emotional Impact of the Archipelago

  • The event’s power lies in the connections forged among savants:

    "We brought these people together so they could meet each other. The looks on their faces, the hugs that they gave each other, and the tears that were streaming down their faces like they’d found their people." — Jeremy Chapman [20:29], [22:47]

• Challenges of Recognition & Inclusion

  • The difficulty of acceptance, loneliness, and public skepticism is a recurring theme.
  • Derek Amato (acquired savant):

    "If there was a circus of savants, I would be the guy in the red coat up front… But I found that there was a strand of empathy, this relationship and this common denominator... There was such an exchange in energy." — [19:33], [21:03]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Self-Belief and Advocacy

  • Archipelago Attendee:

    "It's okay to be different." — [03:28]

  • Jeremy Chapman:

    “Believe in yourself.” — [03:33]

• On Unlocking Gifts

  • Jeremy Chapman:

    “People like Tony Deblois… they’re born with a disability and some undiscovered gift, and it’s a matter of chance that they get exposed to the thing that they can thrive in.” — [09:41]

• On Artistic Process

  • Grant Magne:

    "My autism does not define me. I define my autism through my talents and skills." — [17:51]

• On The Power of Community

  • Ky Dickens (Host):

    "The islands of genius that we met at the Treffert Archipelago validate that neurodivergency is a transformative strength." — [18:02]

Important Segments & Timestamps

• Treffert Studios Vision – [01:53]
• Introducing the Archipelago Gathering – [03:04]
• Tony & Janice DeBlois Interview – [03:58]-[09:41]
• Grant (“Jigsaw”) Magne & Julie Coy Interview – [10:40]-[13:26], [16:49]
• Derek Amato: Acquired Savant Perspective – [19:16]-[22:47]
• Discussion on Connecting Savants and Future Vision – [23:06]-[25:32]
• Advice for Aspiring Artists & Parents – [25:50]-[26:17]

Closing Inspiration: Advice from Savants

• Grant Magne:

  “If you want to be an artist… practice first, then get your name out there. Enter competitions... Make a portfolio. Start with the small stuff and then work it, work it, and eventually you will reach success.” — [25:50]

• Tony DeBlois:

  “We’re going to keep dreaming it and we’re going to keep doing it… Be yourself to parents out there. Well, keep them on their dreams and keep them going where they're going.” — [26:12]-[26:17]

Summary

This episode demonstrates how embracing differences and tuning into the unique gifts of neurodivergent individuals can unlock not only personal success but can push the boundaries of our collective understanding of human potential. Driven by love, advocacy, and creative opportunity, the Treffert Center’s Archipelago event is a testament to community, resilience, and the enduring legacy of Dr. Treffert’s belief in “islands of genius.”