Martensville, Sask., boy with autism trying to meet Dory from Finding Nemo

Everyone has that one special toy from their childhood, but for a 14-year-old from Martensville, Sask., one toy has made all the difference. Ethan Laughren is autistic and suffers from epilepsy but his special Dory fish brings him comfort.

Ethan's mom, Allison, says they want to say "thank you" to Ellen DeGeneres for bringing happiness and peace into Ethan's life in her portrayal of the blue tang fish from the Finding Nemo movie.

"I've just always really admired her," Allison said on CBC Radio's Afternoon Edition. "[Then] she became the voice of this character that our son has really become attached to.I'm just grateful for that."

The family has sent Ellen a video called "12 years of Dory: Starring Ethan" which shows Ethan's unique relationship to the animated fish.

Allison said her son received his first copy of the movie just before his second birthday. She said Ethan finds it difficult to maintain attention, but when Dory crossed the screen it all changed.

"It was really interesting that that movie in particular just kind of stuck with him and was what he kind of wanted to watch," she said, adding they've see it too many times to count. "I can pretty much recite it verbatim."

Soon after, Ethan received a bath toy of Dory the fish and the two have been inseparable since. Although Allison adds that they've gone through many versions of the toy.

"A lot of children with autism need something that sort of stimulates them, something that they can chew on, something that keeps them calm. He would use this poor Doryand we've had some that have lost their noses and tails because he loves them so much," she said.

The family is constantly watching for the toy on eBay and asking friends to pick up versions if they see them during their travels.

Of all the things that Ethan could latch onto, Allison said she is happy it's the fish.

"I just think of the movie. I think of Ellen DeGeneres as a person and I'm just so grateful that there is this cool character that he has really grown to love, [that] we look as kind of a part of the family now," she said.

Even if they don't get on the show, Allison said she hopes that DeGeneres knows that the family is thankful.