He was seeking Utnapishtim, the only human being who was granted eternal life by the gods.
Simple: acceptance.
What do i mean by that?
Well, first of all - the feeling of exclusion, rejection is what "kills" them, not exactly their disability (althought it can be heartbreaking at the beggining). So, insert special needs kids/teenagers/adults into specific programs, that are specially designed to attend their needs considering their limitations would provide the always so important sensation of importance and acceptance that not only they - but every human being needs.
You ask me to provide an example? Well ... I don't quite remember the source right now, but i do remember that once, in the past, I've read that a significant amount of people affected by depression are due to their exclusion from groups and the feeling of rejection by the society. Unfortunately, the information that the very Society has ALL kinds of groups that one can imagine will never reach these depressive poeple, the truth is: there is a place where they can feel part of the whole.
This for sure can help to accept and overcome their condition, regardless of the type of disability - physical of mental.
The old one, the new Romeo & Juliet used in their play guns and stuff like that. They've also cut a lot of important information!
41 states set the age of juvenile court jurisdiction at 17. Seven states—Georgia, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, South Carolina, Texas and Wisconsin—set the age at 16, and two states—New York and North Carolina—set the age at 15.