03/21/2025
This isn’t an announcement—it’s a reminder that today is Down Syndrome Awareness Day. I woke up to a text directly from our pediatrician: “Happy Down Syndrome Awareness Day.” It doesn’t feel happy.
There’s so much I could say about Down Syndrome—from finding out you’re having a baby with Trisomy 21 and what that experience is like, to learning about the challenges and realities that come with the diagnosis, including the things that often go unsaid—things that weren’t said to me on my journey.
If you have the honor of knowing someone with Trisomy 21, you know they are truly a walking miracle. How you treat them is a reflection of your heart, your level of compassion, and your own judgment. If there is ugliness within you, encountering a beautiful soul with Trisomy 21 will surely reveal it. Don’t be ugly.
I remember seeing a little girl at the park shortly after Emet passed. She was thriving with Trisomy 21, and I couldn’t help but stare, wondering if her mother knew just how blessed she was—wishing I had the courage to tell her and wishing my son was there in the physical to play too.
The journey isn’t easy, but individuals with Trisomy 21 are a blessing. Thanks to science, we know more about this chromosomal condition today than ever before. Imagine how much more we could learn as we move toward the future. This is just one of many reasons why scientific research in medical care is invaluable—a humanitarian effort to understand people, improve quality of life, and expand opportunities for individuals with unique needs.
If you’re blessed to know someone thriving with Trisomy 21, know that you are witnessing a miracle, truly—a beautiful joy and to be glad in it. Your days will surely be filled with love, joy and laughter so long as you also have a beautiful soul.