World Down Syndrome Day and the Boy Who Inspires Us All

In a family of twelve kids, by the time you get to number twelve, you’d think parenting would be muscle memory. At that point, what’s one more? You feed them, keep them alive, and let the older ones handle the rest, right?

Except when Isaiah came along, our parents didn’t just hope for the best, they demanded it for him. They made it their life mission.

Isaiah has Down Syndrome, but this wasn’t new territory for us. We have a first cousin with Down Syndrome, so the diagnosis didn’t send anyone into a tailspin. There were no hushed whispers about what his future might look like, no treating him like he was fragile, no wrapping him up in bubble wrap. Our parents took one look at their newest baby and said, “He’s going to have the same life as the rest of them.”

And they meant it.

But what’s wild is how many people thought Isaiah should be raised differently. That he should be handled differently. That he should be given fewer responsibilities, fewer opportunities, fewer expectations. That he should be sheltered.

Our parents? Yeah, that wasn’t happening.

Isaiah wasn’t going to be the exception to any rule. If the rest of us had chores, he had chores. If the rest of us played sports, he played sports. If the rest of us were expected to work hard, be kind, and make something of ourselves, well, so was he.

And Isaiah? He took that and ran with it.

He is, without exaggeration, one of the most incredible people we know.

If you’ve met him, even once—you know exactly what we mean. He has this undeniable way of making people feel like they matter. Not in some surface-level, “Hey, how are ya?” way, but in a deep, real, see-you-to-your-core kind of way. He remembers things about people. He asks how your mom is doing after a long stay in the hospital. He prays over strangers, friends, and family like it’s his personal mission to cover the entire world in love. And if you don’t think he’s serious about it, his nighttime prayer list is ten pages long. He calls each person by name, lifting up every need, big or small, believing with all his heart that God hears him.

His faith is unwavering. It’s not complicated or performative, it’s pure. It’s built on the simple but powerful belief that love is meant to be given freely, that kindness is a daily practice, and that no one should ever feel alone.

Isaiah doesn’t just want people to be happy, he wants them to feel. He wants them to be moved. He wants them to laugh harder, love deeper, and cry freely. If you have a milestone, a birthday, a retirement, a wedding—Isaiah will spend hours crafting a speech, making sure he gets every single word just right. He will write and rewrite, practice and perfect, because he wants you to feel it. He wants you to know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that you are loved. And if that means learning an entire song by heart just so he can sing it to you, complete with hand gestures and dramatic pauses—he’s doing it. Because that’s what Isaiah does. 

He loves fiercely. If you are in his life, you are his people, and there is no middle ground with Isaiah. He’s all in. He will celebrate your wins like they’re his own, defend you with a loyalty most of us can only dream of having, and show up in ways that leave no doubt about how much he cares. He gives without hesitation, without expectation, without limit.

And he is unstoppable.

Isaiah is a Down Syndrome ambassador, speaking at schools and universities to spread awareness about inclusion and acceptance. He’s fully bilingual in French and English (which, if you’re Canadian, you know is a flex). He’s won medals in both the science fair and the Special Olympics because, obviously, why choose? He’s the first one to sign up for any volunteer opportunity; the library, the church, the care home, fundraisers, if something needs doing, Isaiah is already there. He’s got two jobs at the local Co-op stores, and if you think you know how to charm customers, we promise you, Isaiah is out here pulling tips like a seasoned bartender.

But the best part? He loves giving more than he loves getting.

Isaiah lives to make people happy. He’s the guy who will remember your favorite candy and show up with it just because. He’s the one who will sense when you’ve had a rough day and make sure you know he’s thinking of you with his crafted paper hearts. He knows how to make people feel like they belong, like they are important, like they are loved.

Our kids don’t see Isaiah as anything other than one of them. He’s in every game of baseball, basketball, mini sticks, video games, karaoke, if something is happening, he’s in there like a dirty shirt. They argue over teams, fight over points, and talk smack during board games just like they would with any other uncle. There’s no babying him, no making exceptions. To them, he’s just Uncle Isaiah. And that’s exactly how it should be.

So, in honor of World Down Syndrome Day, we will proudly wear our mismatched socks and do our part on Isaiah’s behalf. He deserves for the entire world to see just how incredible he is. His kindness, his love, his unwavering faith, and his ability to make people feel, it all deserves to be celebrated, not just today, but every day.

We couldn’t imagine him being any other way, and truthfully, we wouldn’t want to. Isaiah is exactly who he is meant to be—bold, compassionate, full of life, and the heart of our family. Today, we celebrate him, and we hope you’ll join us in doing the same.