Nine years ago, a handful of Miami-Dade parents put their heads and hearts together to find a cure for autism.

They started a walk that brought out 2,500.

Last Sunday, their Autism Speaks' Walk Now for Autism in Key Biscayne's Crandon Park drew almost five times that number -- about 12,000 walkers.

It's now one of the nation's largest walks for autism.

''I think ours has become special, because it is so long-standing and has the community coming out every year,'' said the walk's chairwoman, Lola Reyes, of South Miami. ``Next year, we want to be No. 1 in the nation. There's no reason that we can't.''

Last week's walk brought in $430,000 to raise awareness and support research for the nation's fastest-growing developmental disorder.

''I'm blown away by the overwhelming sea of support from the Miami-Dade community,'' said Autism Speaks President Mark Roithmayr. ``Even during tough economic times, they'll come out and support this event. It says something about Miami-Dade County.''

The Miami-Dade walk started in 2000.

It has grown to become one of Autism Speaks' top five most successful walks across the nation, Roithmayr said.

More than 350 teams registered for the two- to three-mile walk to show support for friends and families affected by autism, with many schools, organizations and corporations on the roster.

''You don't see it pay off until you see everyone in the yellow,'' said Jeanette Naranjo, 18, who organized a team of 100 people with American High School in Northwest Miami-Dade. This is the second year that the school, clad in yellow team shirts, has participated in the walk, recruiting students, parents and even the principal.

Teams and individual walkers raise funds by collecting donations from friends, families, co-workers and employers to sponsor their participation in the walk. Several community leaders and celebrities also attended the walk, including Miami-Dade Commissioner Carlos Gimenez and WLTV-Univision 23 anchor and reporter Sandra Peebles, who emceed the event.

''When I was standing up there on the stage, and I saw a sea of people, it was amazing,'' Peebles said. ``It goes to show you that we're all affected. It's happening so often that it's happening to all of us.''

The event also featured a community resource fair, with about 30 vendors, including therapists, the University of Miami and other educational sources and schools. There were also groups such as Parent to Parent of Miami.

All the food and entertainment for the walk was donated.

The Miami-Dade chapter of Autism Votes, an Autism Speaks' advocacy program, set up camp at the fair and collected more than 3,000 signatures from people pledging to contact their elected officials and push state and federal autism initiatives.

''`The power is in Autism Votes, because the elected officials really care,'' said Susan Lauredo of Palmetto Bay, the Miami-Dade Chapter's advocacy chair. ``Now we have these laws, but as parents we have no way to enforce them.''

Last year, the chapter collected 1,200 signatures at the walk to promote the passage of Florida's Window of Opportunity Act, providing insurance coverage and access to services for persons with developmental disabilities. Gov. Charlie Crist signed it into law last May. It becomes effective next month.

Autism Votes is now working to promote the bill on a federal level, Lauredo said.

Event officials hope to gain even more walkers next year for its 10-year anniversary, said Michelle Cruz of Coral Gables, who helped start the Miami-Dade walk in 2000.

The walk's growth in the past nine years is bittersweet, she said, because as more walkers register, she is reminded that more people are being affected by the disorder.

''I'm happy and sad at the same time,'' she said. ``I'm happy to see all the people support, but I'm sad to see the autism rates go up.''

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