Commitment Profile
UCLA-Bound Forbes Finds Perspective Through Her Autistic Brother
by Rhiannon Potkey, 2 May 2018
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Perspective has always been easy to come by for Abigail Forbes. Results in a tennis match don’t send her into an emotional freefall. Although she’s highly competitive, Forbes knows there are more important things in life.
Forbes has a deeper appreciation for playing because of her younger brother, Luke, who is autistic.
Abigail Forbes and Her Younger Brother Luke
“He is just the happiest kid alive and he’s so loving and caring to us,” Forbes said. “You will never see him down or sad. He’s a hugger and gives everybody hugs. No matter what happens, life is great because we get to be with Luke every single day.”
Forbes is valuing her time with Luke even more lately, knowing she will be heading off to college in a year. The blue chip junior from Raleigh, North Carolina recently committed to UCLA.
Forbes, 17, chose the Bruins over North Carolina and Virginia. Although they all offered great academic and athletic opportunities, Forbes wanted to branch out of her comfort zone. She was attracted to the Southern California culture and UCLA’s large student body.
“Abbey wants to make a difference in this world, and that warms my heart more than anything she does in tennis,” said her father, Roger Forbes. “The diversity at UCLA, I think more than the other schools, made a difference for Abbey. She will see more of her race and more of different ethnicities there, and that will really impact Abbey as she grows into a young woman.”
