06 March 2024 , 12:07
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A woman who was bullied at school for her autism fell in love with Disney movies for providing an escape and now she has a collection worth more than £15k.
Kerri Carter, 21, from London, has autism, and faced bullying throughout school over her condition. She began finding comfort in Disney films, and enjoyed knowing that every story she watched would have a happy ending. In 2015, she was gifted a Disney themed pin and she began growing her collection of merchandise from there.
Now her collection includes over 400 Disney themed items, ranging from dolls and plushies to pins and toys and she has no plans to slow down. "I wasn't too into Disney when I was very young," said Kerri. "It started when I was at school. I was bullied for my autism, and I wanted an escape from it. I would put on a Disney film and knowing that the heroes would win, and the bad guys would lose really stuck with me. It was like a light in the dark.
Kerri at Disneyland Paris (Kerri Carter/SWNS)"The collection started in 2015 when I was bought a pin and it just grew from there. With autism, and now being an autistic adult, it can be very hard sometimes in the world. Disney feels like a safe place, and I got really obsessed really quickly which led to me collecting everything!
"I absolutely adore Mickey Mouse. I love every Disney film there's not one I haven't watched!" Kerri collects anything Disney related, with one of her prized possessions being a vintage Mickey Mouse plush from the 1930s, which she picked up on eBay for just £95.
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She believes she has spent up to £15,000 on her collection so far. But it's not just the movies that interest Kerri she also enjoys learning about history of the company and about Walt Disney himself. She believes that her parents' support has allowed her to explore her interests and appreciates their willingness to have conversations about Disney.
Kerri's huge Disney collection (Kerri Carter/SWNS)Kerri aims to keep finding pieces to add to her growing collection and eventually hopes to be able to one day visit Disneyland California. "I have been to Disneyland Paris, but my dream is to visit Disneyland California," said Kerri. "I would like to thank my parents for helping me with my Disney addiction. It's not just the films that I'm into I got obsessed with the company, so I'm into the history of Walt himself and everything too. There really isn't a conversation where I can't find a way to bring up Disney!"