(airplane roaring) (electricity buzzing) (dramatic music) (dramatic music continues) (electricity buzzing) (dramatic music) (gentle music) (gentle music continues) - Down syndrome is named after the British physician, Dr.

John Langdon Down.

Back in 1866, he was one of the first ones to describe the characteristics of what is now named after him, Down Syndrome.

In fact, after he died, his own grandson had Down Syndrome named after his grandfather.

(bright music) Everyone has 23 pairs of chromosomes, but people with Down Syndrome have an extra or partial copy of chromosome 21.

That gives them a total of 47 rather than 46 chromosomes.

And with that extra chromosome, sometimes comes some extra medical conditions that we need to look out for as physicians.

But also with that extra chromosome, as people with Down Syndrome remind us, come a lot of love, come a lot of enthusiasm, and a lot of excitement.

(bright music) - So in addition to our three biological children, we have Timothy, who we adopted.

He is a chunky little seven month old now with bright blue eyes, and he also has Down Syndrome.

(bright music) - Julie is a great mom.

She's incredible.

She has great compassion and empathy for people that otherwise society tends to overlook.

She sees value in everybody, in all types of people.

She's been an incredible mom and just everything you'd expect her to be loving Timothy.

(bright music) - There are more than 215,000 people with Down Syndrome living in the United States, and that number is growing because people with Down Syndrome are living longer than they've ever lived before.

Thanks to advances in science and medicine.

The average person with Down Syndrome now lives to the age of 60.

(bright music) - Most people will, when I tell them he's got a special gift, they'll always tell me, "We're sorry.

We're sorry."

And I said, "No, then you don't understand what Down Syndrome is until you meet him, until you spend time with him, you'll understand that not to be sorry.

It is a gift."

- I am so lucky to have two sisters, one of whom Kristen has Down Syndrome, and she has so many superpowers that she has been giving to our family.

You know, she's a life coach for me in many ways.

She's taught me that sometimes the silver medal is even more valuable than the gold medal, and sometimes it's that second or third attempt when you learn life's most important lessons.

Because of Kristen, I wanted to be a physician one day taking care of people with Down syndrome, and I now have that dream job, but I never lose sight of the fact that Kristen is that inspiration.

People with Down Syndrome continue to teach us that if we give them a chance, they will succeed.

But in doing so, we receive in return.

We get their lessons, we get their joy, we get their understandings of the nuances of life.

We are all better because we have fellow citizens.

(bright music) - Go, what are you going to do about it?

Are you going?

Are you going to go that way?

- My oldest is a hero to Robby.

Ever since he was young, so many people came up to us and just said he was such a wonderful brother, and he is.

We're very blessed to have both of them together.

(bright music) - My big brother teach me a lot.

It's fun.

Charlie loves walking out every day and this football wall for Charlie.

(bright music) (punching bag thuds) (bright music) (punching bag thuds) - Growing up with my brother with Down Syndrome was, well, it's the only way I know how to live, and it was great.

(bright music) It taught me so many different things I definitely would not be who I am today if it weren't for him.

I'm definitely a lot more patient with people, a lot more understanding, more compassionate, just because it's like I know everybody has different abilities and it's just, you just talk to somebody, somebody just might be slow at answering questions, someone might be fast.

They might not be able to do something that you think everybody should do.

I never though of him as different, you know, he was just my brother.

- Just this one hug is very different than yours and my hug, because I know when he gives you a hug, he means giving a hug.

I think sometimes when we give a hug, it's half.

It's just like, yeah, have a good day and then off to go.

Or Robby, you know, you can feel the warmth.

(bright music) Special Olympics has provided a huge value to Robby and our family.

This is first year, but it has brought him so much joy and so much friendship in one year.

He just feels like they're his family.

(bright music) (gentle music) - My name is Gail Bowers.

I am the coach of the Plymouth Canton Stars.

I've been the coach for now going on 24 years, and my son is Sean the Tank Bowers.

(soft music) What we strive for with our team is a family concept.

(soft music) We treat each other with respect.

We are each other's cheerleaders.

One is not better than the other.

Our guys support each other.

When I had Sean, I was young, young for having a child with Down Syndrome.

I was 24.

The knee-jerk reaction was as I looked at this beautiful little boy and I wanted to do this, give him back.

But then something just came over me and I knew I loved him.

And that's how I felt.

It was just love, unconditional love.

(soft music) - Sean Tank.

- Kevin Hollywood.

- Kyle Iceman.

- Robby Sporty.

(upbeat music) - Our training sessions are two days a week.

During those training sessions, we work on the bench, the deadlift, and the squat, and each time the weight is going up higher and higher.

Some of our guys are lifting two to three times their body weight.

These boys are basically not competing against each other, but they're competing against themselves.

So we set goals, we set goals for what they would like to do, and then we work towards those goals.

So small steps, and then we just move up for, you know, for the kill basically at state games.

(upbeat music) - When a parent first finds out that their child is born with Down syndrome, it's important to congratulate them.

All parents were looking forward to having a child and parents want to hear those words, congratulations.

You know, the first words matter.

Research has shown that parents remember with laser accuracy every single word in the first sentence that a physician uses to describe the diagnosis.

So let's start with congratulations because it is exciting that we have a newborn child with us.

(soft music) - When I was pregnant with Kameron, it was like any of my other two pregnancies.

He was only about a week early, which is, you know, really not early.

They told me because he was a little jaundice to make sure I go up to my doctor the next day.

(soft music) They sent us directly to the emergency room 'cause his numbers were just out of control.

So he was in the hospital in an incubator for seven days, and we're trying to figure out what in the world is going on with him.

His pediatrician said, "You know what?

Let's do a genetic test because something's not right."

About a week later, she calls us on the phone.

She said, "Normally, I don't do this on the phone, but I think you need to know."

We found that Kameron has Down Syndrome.

And at that moment, I was holding Kameron, and I just looked down and just started crying.

And I walked over to my husband and I said, "Honey," he said, "What, what, what?"

And I told him, and we just started hugging with him in between us and just, and just crying.

(soft music) - People with Down Syndrome could sometimes have some co-occurring medical conditions.

And as a physician, it's my responsibility to make sure that I anticipate those and make sure those don't get in the way.

But it's important for families to know that nearly all of the co-occurring conditions that go along with Down Syndrome are treatable, preventable, or addressable.

(gentle music) - I found out about Dr.

Brian Skotko through some mom podcasts I listened to, and also the Southeast Michigan Down Syndrome Guild had passed along some resources that really highlighted some of his research.

He's researched all these kids with Down Syndrome and adults with Down Syndrome, so you're able to really get up-to-date information online.

He's really made this access available to patients, to caregivers, to pediatricians locally.

So it's a thing where I can go on, I can print it off, and then I can bring this to my pediatrician to say, "Hey, are we making sure that we're taking care of all of these things?"

Just to make sure that Timothy's getting the absolute best care possible and most up-to-date medical treatment and research-based treatment.

(gentle music) - Their development is slower, but they will get there.

And with them, they bring so much joy because everything they do, everything new is just like, "This is amazing."

(gentle music) - [Dr.

Brian] It's so important for we as a society to make sure we do not get in the way of people with Down Syndrome achieving their full potential.

They may have that extra chromosome, but oftentimes it's the barriers in society that get in the way.

(upbeat music) - I'm Grant William Hattermann.

I'm 13.

- When Grant was born 13 years ago, I just remember I had a lovely pregnancy.

I wasn't sick much, had a lot of energy, was looking forward to becoming a mom.

And the day he was born, I just remember thinking, "Did they switch our kids at someone else because how can this be?

What did I do wrong?"

And it was never anything I did.

He's a gift from God.

(soft music) We were always thinking we wanted two or three, and then when he was born, I though, "Would that be fair to him?

I don't know."

And my doctor said, "It would absolutely be fair and helpful to have him have a peer alongside because he'll want to do what that peer is doing.

It'll help him."

Because of how close they are in age, it's been a wonderful thing because they've truly grown up together and they've taught Grant a lot of things and he's taught them empathy.

So it's been quite a beautiful thing.

(soft music) And my daughter and my son realizes that he can use extra help at times, so they jump right in and say, "Grant, this is how you do it.

Grant, let me show you."

And then he gets it and he's like, "Yes, let's go."

So it's gosh, I need... (chuckles) I need to... It's hard for me to even talk about it because it's so awesome.

It's awesome.

(soft music) (triumphant music) - When I think of Sujay, all I can see is his loving nature and his bubbly self and an extremely energetic kid who wants to try everything and we've never stopped him from trying anything.

(soft music) The initial thought of course was, it was shocked.

We didn't think it would happen.

It would happen so close.

It would happen to us.

And it took me a lot of time to absorb it, to understand it.

(bright music) One thing that Naresh said to me at that time stuck to me for my entire life.

He said, "Radha, think of it this way.

We have two older sons.

What if something happens to them, any accident, anything?

Would you stop loving them?

Would you not take care of them?

Sujay is exactly the same.

He's just such a loving child.

It's just so happened that even before his birth, he has a need, that's it.

And we will be there to support him forever.

(triumphant music) (ball clacks) (triumphant music) - I am Sujay and I'm 17.

Swimming is my favorite sport because it's easier for me to understand the coaches, like learning experience, like strokes or like different kinds of skills.

- One thing I love about Sujay is he's not intimidated by anything.

He's not afraid to get in and try any event.

So usually in swimming, in high school swimming, our longest event is the 500 freestyle and most of the swimmers in Sujay's group don't wanna do that.

They wanna do the shorter, faster sprint events.

Nobody wants to do the long distance event, but Sujay would always raise his hand and volunteer, do the 500, you know, when nobody else would.

He was willing to get up and do it.

- Alright, next one.

Again, make sure you got really tight streamlines when you're pushing off the wall.

Make sure you got extra hard kick.

This is the last one.

Bring this last one in hard.

- [Brent] Everybody loves when Sujay's around.

Everybody loves having him here.

You know, he just makes everything fun.

He has a great attitude with everything that he does, and you know, that's contagious.

(bright music) ♪ Oh ah ♪ ♪ Novi's gonna work oh ah ♪ ♪ Novi's gonna work oh ah ♪ ♪ Novi's gonna work oh ah ♪ ♪ Novi's gonna work oh ah ♪ ♪ Novi's gonna work oh ah ♪ ♪ Novi's gonna work oh ah ♪ ♪ Novi's gonna work oh ah ♪ (team cheering) ♪ We're ready ♪ ♪ We're ready ♪ ♪ We're ready ♪ ♪ We're ready ♪ (team cheering) (timer rings) (audience cheering) (audience cheering) (timer rings) (audience cheering) (audience cheering) (announcer faintly speaking) (audience cheering) (audience cheering) - Let's go!

Everybody, let's go!

(team cheering) (audience applauding) - We have these superheroes with superpowers are going to come and pull- - Wait, we got superheroes coming here?

- Yeah, they are, yeah.

- Oh, alright.

Okay.

- In fact, we get to ride in on a tank.

- Wait a minute.

- What?

- (laughs) The tank.

You and I are gonna be sitting on tank.

- Wait, who's driving the tank?

- Because eventually, we're gonna come in and help.

- But who's driving the tank?

- Well, and it's not me.

- Okay.

(Eric laughs) There we go.

- You're safe here.

- I don't mind- - Don't worry about that.

- Getting on that tank, yeah, okay.

- Football is my most favorite sports.

And my favorite foot football team is Detroit Lions.

(bright music) - Robby has been on a football team since he was seven.

They really gave him a gift that these boys had time to understand him, to understand his abilities and make him one of their own.

(gentle music) - [Coach] Go.

Go!

Go!

(gentle music) - During that time, I need to make sure to get all the yellow beanies back on everybody, okay?

- Yeah.

- When we get down to here, I need you to have the book ready for me.

Robby came on as a freshman.

He's our hydration engineer.

He was with us every game, came to every practice.

He sets up practices.

He helps get the water for the guys and everything else.

And then as he progressed each year, we gave him more and more responsibilities.

The senior year, I felt like, you know, every kid gets a senior year moment, and we wanted to give him a senior year moment.

(gentle music) (audience cheering) - Arrived and I see Channel Two, Channel Four, Channel Seven.

There were all these cars there.

I'm going, "What's going on tonight?

What is going on?"

So I'm just walking in onto the field, and then plays are going, and all of a sudden they say, you know, "Robby, come on.

Get on the field.

Go, go, go."

And I'm looking, going, "What's going on?"

They brought Robby on the team, and they made a touchdown moment for Robby.

(audience applauding) (audience cheering) - [Reporter] But the scene on the sidelines is what takes your breath away.

Robby's mother, Debbie, who is terminally ill with cancer, got to see her little boy live his dream.

- I dropped to the ground.

I was so emotional when I saw him.

Take a touchdown.

I've always been proud of him being the water boy, whereas people call him the hydration manager.

But this was incredible.

He's Rudy tonight.

He's Rudy.

(team applauding) (soft music) First I had cancer.

I had stage two, almost three.

Now I have cancer four, stage four terminal.

(dramatic music) I really don't know how he's going to accept it.

(gentle music) Time will tell.

And I know, I know he'll be okay.

(gentle music) Just having people care, you know, and it came from a time where people weren't accepting him to a moment of embracing, embracing his abilities.

(gentle music) And people laugh at Robby, not at him, just with them.

They enjoy him.

They now understand that you shouldn't be sorry.

You should be saying you're blessed.

We hope that's what we want out of this, is we hope someday people will say, "I'm blessed."

Supposed to, "I'm sorry for you."

And I do hope that time will come.

(gentle music) - People with Down Syndrome could sometimes have challenges in school when it comes to learning, and we know people with Down Syndrome can and do learn in the classrooms if we give them the support that they need.

(lively music) - So we didn't know that she had Down Syndrome until she was actually born.

I didn't see her as different.

I was able to just be mom, and that's the blessing of having Ron as my husband because he went out and listened to what everyone was telling him, that we needed to have her enrolled in school.

We had a great support system that got us into the right things at the right time, right from the get-go.

- In the beginning, it's pretty scary.

You're concerned as any parent would be with a child's future.

Every day is a surprise for us.

Every day she does more and more.

She's such a joy.

(bright music) - She did.

Oh my God.

- Nice.

- Wee!

♪ Made men mad since she was 10 ♪ ♪ Soft as an angel but oh so moody ♪ ♪ Just play poison the smells of heaven ♪ ♪ She's a sunflower girl ♪ - [Athena] From very little, Maritsa really had a creative side to her.

She loved to paint and just glitter everything up.

The more sparkly it was, the better it was.

So I said, "You know what?

We're going to take a 30 by 40 foot canvas.

We're gonna put it on the deck and give her some paints and see what she does."

And next thing you know, it was on her hands, on her feet, and she was moving around and putting it all over the canvas and laughing.

It was so cute.

So now we still have that today.

It's hanging in our house and it's just beautiful.

I love it.

♪ She gets under your skin ♪ ♪ No matter how you try ♪ - [Athena] Her biggest passion though is that she loves the guitar.

She writes songs and looks wonderful and she loves it and sings it with a passion.

♪ Can't fix crazy ♪ ♪ No way ♪ ♪ Oh, how high ♪ - Scrolling all throughout.

- [Interviewer] Who's your favorite actress?

- It's Rey.

She is the one, her mind, her focus is her mind.

- [Athena] Once she saw "Star Wars" and saw Rey, the main character, how strong she is, how powerful, problem solving, she wanted to help people and save the world.

(bright music) The way Maritsa sees her world is very common in how most children with Down Syndrome see their world too.

They reach out deep to you and they want to be with you.

They want you happy.

They want to help you.

Even when my dad passed away, my mom was crying and she went up... And now I'm gonna cry.

(chuckles) She went up to my mom and she says, "He's in your heart."

And she touched my mom's chest.

So I was like, oh my God, (chuckles) how did you know to say that?

So that's the type of person she is.

I would love to see her being able to teach kids and maybe even teach them on how to be a strong person and go out and get your dreams even with Down Syndrome because you can and you will.

(bright music) - It's really important to tell parents that they are not alone on this journey.

There are so many other parents who have loved ones with Down Syndrome who are willing to connect with them, share their stories and let them know that this journey is gonna be one full of excitement, possibility and hope.

- [Mom] Good job!

(group applauding) (group cheering) - [Mom] Way to go Anna!

- Yey!

- You did it.

(group applauding) (group cheering) Let's go.

(group cheering) - Kids On The Go is a nonprofit I founded back in 1999 for children with special needs, helping to kind of fill that summertime gap for when insurance companies were not covering their therapies.

Summer school, the school year had ended today is our Kids in the Go Golf Academy, which is hosted by Chandler Park Golf Course here in Detroit.

So for the first five weeks, the campers come and they learn all the skills, the fundamentals, chipping, putting, driving, and a lot of it is etiquette too and how to respect each other, honesty.

- The values that we get as a family is Austin gets friendship and camaraderie amongst all of the kids and the staff that he works with.

(bright music) - The reality is that kids with disabilities and especially Down Syndrome don't have a lot of social opportunities naturally in their worlds.

So for that summer break is just amazing to have something that she loves to do.

I don't have to force her.

She wants to do it.

She goes willingly and she learns so much.

(bright music) - I think like anything in life, it's the successes and failures.

Golf is a great learning tool.

You're gonna have good days and bad days.

So when he's out here putting and he misses by six feet and has to come back and try to make it again, it's a good life lesson.

(bright music) - Now Kids On The Go has expanded to year round services because we still see that there's such a need during the year for programs that they're still not getting what they need.

And those social opportunities are so key.

(bright music) - He just learns that he can be a cool kid and not just a different kid.

(bright music) - It's great to have something to do in the summer, to get out, to learn, to be around people who understand and give him an activity that he loves to do.

(bright music) - Knowing Austin with Down Syndrome and all of his friends with Down Syndrome, you find an empathy that they have that they just feed off of everyone around them and they want happiness and they just bring an unconditional love to everything that they've gotten.

And anybody around them, you will just smile.

(soft music) - Post 26 when education is done for individuals with special needs and many of our young adults have a really hard time finding a job.

The Soul Center and Dakota Bread are two areas where we are able to have vocational opportunities for our adults.

(bright music) - Working at the bakery provides Bracha the opportunity to work together with other people and enjoy the company and learn to get along with them.

And I think they joke around a little bit.

They enjoy each other's company.

And baking the bread itself is something she actually excels in.

(bright music) - What we offer parents here is the ability to have something that we all want for our children as we wanna see them look forward to going somewhere where they're productive, they're valued and embraced and loved.

(bright music) (lively music) - When I found the Down Syndrome Guild of Michigan, I was just ecstatic.

So we started going to some of their social events, talking to the other mothers and I was like, "Oh my gosh, this is what I need to be able to talk to mothers that have children with Down syndrome that are all the different age groups interact."

And you can also see from looking at individuals with Down Syndrome that are older, you can see what they're capable of.

(lively music) - Club 21 is an event that's sponsored each month by the Down Syndrome Guild of Southeast Michigan.

It's important because these kids need to forge friendships.

They meet new people, they get to dance, and they just have a great time.

(lively music) - [Anna] The Down Syndrome Guild not only have outings where the parents can support each other and the children can play together and we can swap stories.

There are advocates that you can talk to.

We have a library of information, whether it's written or videos or, you know, just calling people that have older children, like, "What did you do for this?"

(lively music) - Anna has always been a superstar with our Guild.

She's very outgoing and she just got a job at Arby's.

So she's so excited and she's talking about getting a LinkedIn account.

(gentle music) - Anna is a young lady that we hired in who is the light of our day.

She is just the happiness that brings everything together for us.

(bright music) Hiring her in was no question.

There's no condition for Anna that makes her any different than anyone else.

She's hardworking.

She's on time.

She is dedicated and she's eager to learn.

And that's everything that I look for when hiring somebody in.

And without her, we wouldn't have anyone else to greet the guests the way that she does.

(bright music) - And why I want to work here, you ask?

'Cause it's a fun and family environment and I get along great with my coworkers and my own fellow managers.

(bright music) - She was really excited when she got hired and within a week she was here doing all the intake.

She just loves being here.

She feels accepted, she feels appreciated and she's contributing and the people that come in here are responding to her and her personality.

(bright music) - [Anna] The people and the customers walking by.

I'd like to take their orders.

(bright music) - I think people that come in here need to see that Annie doesn't see people with any differences and that's the perspective that she offers the world.

Everybody's the same to her.

Everybody has something to offer.

I think that the more people are exposed to people with differing abilities, the more that you see they're more alike than they are different.

(bright music) (dramatic music) (sirens wailing) (bright music) - I'm cool.

I'm 31.

I live Novi.

I live with my family.

I love police and fire and Marie Curie.

(bright music) And they are my heroes.

I love to work.

I work at Novi Kroger.

I'm a bagger.

I'm helping out on people who need help.

(bright music) - Kroger is good for him because he has a lot of friends that he works with, a lot of managers that he enjoys working with, and he gets to see a lot of his friends coming through shopping.

I didn't see any deer last night did you in the backyard?

- Wait, no, it's not, no.

- Turkeys, I don't know- - No.

- Where they went.

- They're back in the woods having their own quiet time.

Because of COVID and the spread of coronavirus, I always put my mask on because I don't want to get my customers get sick or my family gets sick.

(bright music) I love you.

- I love you, mom.

- Have a wonderful day.

- You too.

- Okay.

Bye-bye.

- Bye.

(bright music) - Michael is a really great employee here at our store.

We really love having him around.

He's very positive and uplifting, and very helpful to the other teammates here.

(bright music) The customers love him and he is just a light to our store.

What more would you want in an employee?

(bright music) - One of Michael's greatest strengths is that he is a loving, caring person.

- I think Michael's superpower is that extra chromosome.

So many times in discussing it with someone else, I always say he's got a little bit more of the good thing than the rest of us have and that's his superpower.

(gentle music) (machine buzzing) - Woo!

(machine buzzing) (bright music) - 30 seconds.

(bright music) We decided to build the ninja course in the backyard because he was really drawing interest from American Ninja Warrior and it was something that we could do where he could use it constantly.

We didn't have to go to a park.

We didn't have to go to a gym.

He could just come out the back door and do it.

Go and you got to get your best time, buddy.

When I see him out, it makes me ecstatic that we were able to provide that in the backyard and he's really enjoying and thriving.

Really deal with the ninja line is a great asset.

He's much more physically strong now that we have this.

(lively music) (bright guitar music) Grant is one of the most amazing people I've ever met in my life.

He lives with constant joy, smiles with his whole face.

(bright guitar music) - Yeah!

- [Diane] I believe he does have a superpower.

I believe that is true because he brings light... He just lights up a room just him entering.

(bright guitar music) - If I was a parent that just found out that I was going to have a child with special needs, I would say that life is going to be great.

It's not just gonna be okay.

It's gonna be a wonderful journey.

Life didn't turn out the way that we expected it.

We had our own plans and our plans change and it's been much more wonderful than we ever would have expected.

(bright guitar music) (soft music) - Yes, I do like people.

I always have... I always have people in my life.

They help me with supporting me like throughout the days.

- A very important and powerful message that Sujay has taught us, be loving and be happy and be kind.

He's extremely kind to anyone and he truly understands feelings of others.

The way we've explained Down Syndrome, everybody has to work this hard to achieve anything what they want to do.

With your need, you just have to do that tiny extra.

Try a little harder, Sujay.

You can do swimming, but you should just try a little harder.

He just remembers that all, "Mommy, see, I'm trying that extra hard that you told us."

So he goes that extra minute, that extra part, and I feel that is kind of imbibed in him now.

He's like, "I can do anything.

I just have to work a little extra harder."

And that's the message that I truly think we can give once any kid, if they want to do, let's give them a hand to try that extra harder and I'm sure it'll make wonders or it'll do wonders.

(bright music) - [Announcer] Student athletes from MHSA member schools.

MHSA, proud to present this 50 yard freestyle.

- [Naresh] Let's go, Sujay!

Come on, baby.

(audience applauding) (timer beeps) - [Audience] Go!

(announcer faintly speaking) (bright music) (audience applauding) (audience cheering) - [Naresh] Sujay!

Sujay!

(audience applauding) (audience cheering) - We always say, you know- - Yeah!

- The state meet is the biggest party of the year and we got invited, so when you get to have a state champion, it's always special.

(bright music) - Things are going great.

He is 14 months old now.

We are just so honored that we get to be his parents and he's just the sweetest.

He continues to just kind of melts people's hearts when they see him.

Right, are you a heart melter?

(bright music) - Timothy's been a great addition.

Our kids are totally smitten with him.

They think he's just perfect in every way and they've totally accepted him as just as their brother and they love him and snuggle him and they can't get enough of him.

They think he's incredible.

(bright music) - It's really fun just to watch him just grow, you know, and on his own pace, in his own way.

We're excited to see what he's gonna be about and what change he's gonna make in this world.

(bright music) We were really hoping for a change in our lives that would kind of slow us down and just help us to like be more human and appreciate one another.

And he's like completely it.

He's just more than we could have ever hoped for.

(bright music) - Do most people know me as Robby's dad, so I don't really have a name, but that's what they call me.

(bright music) Robby's been a joy to have as my son for many, many years.

Being a parent is a challenge.

So whether you have a kid with a normal amount of chromosomes or one with a little bit more, each child takes a different amount of time to learn things, to do things.

Robby has a very good work ethic, something his mom taught him.

He wants to get things done.

He plans well.

One of the things I was told was Robby would never ride a bike, a two-wheeler.

So he does.

Last year we probably rode 500 miles together over the summer.

He does a great job at it.

He's learning how to ride up to the local grocery store 'cause over time I want him to be able to do that and he knows his way.

We still work on stop signs and things like that.

He's picking them up as he goes, but you know, it just takes him longer to learn things and with everything he's done, it just takes a little bit longer.

(bright music) Well, several months ago, Debbie went home.

She battled cancer for many, many years.

She watches Robby from heaven and I watch him from earth.

That's my agreement with Robby, so we talk about that all the time.

And we're still coping and grieving.

(gentle music) One of the things Robby does for me, he cheers me up.

He lives pretty much day by day and, you know, he helps me cope.

He has his sad days too, if we talk about mom a lot, but he generally keeps a straight and narrow and helps me and many, many others in his cheerful way to keep us going strong.

So many people come up to me and just say how happy they feel when they're around Robby.

It's in the dozens or hundreds.

Okay, it's going.

Really, it does happen.

♪ Happy birthday to you ♪ ♪ Happy birthday to you ♪ (lively music) (lively music continues) (airplane roaring) (dramatic music) (dramatic music continues) (dramatic music continues) (group applauding) (group cheering) (sirens wailing) (dramatic music) (group applauding) (group cheering) (sirens wailing) (dramatic music) (group applauding) (group cheering) - Are you ready?

- I'm ready!

I'm ready!

I'm ready!

Are you ready?

(group applauding) (group cheering) - [Team] Yeah!

Yeah!

(dramatic music) - [Team] Go!

Go!

Go!

(dramatic music) (group applauding) (group cheering) - [Team] Good job!

(group applauding) (group cheering) Good job!

- Thank you.

(group applauding) (group cheering) - [Police] Good job!

(group applauding) (group cheering) Good job!

(group applauding) (group cheering) - [Police] You're like a superhero.

- Yeah.

(group applauding) (group cheering) - Found it!

(bright music) - [Team] You did it!

(lively music) (group applauding) (group cheering) (lively music) (electricity buzzing) (lively music) ♪ I was born with the light ♪ that turns bright as a sun ♪ ♪ So bright that I light up the room ♪ ♪ I may not be able to ♪ leave a tall building ♪ ♪ Or swing high from the moon ♪ ♪ So my cape is invisible ♪ ♪ I'm here to say anything's possible ♪ ♪ Love leads the way ♪ ♪ I'm a superhero human being ♪ ♪ Got the world in the palm of my hand ♪ ♪ I'm a superhero human being ♪ ♪ Catch me if you can ♪ ♪ My power you draw, my voice ♪ ♪ This kingdom overflows with love ♪ ♪ When tonight fails my ♪ dreams with that trail ♪ ♪ On a cost that is set from above ♪ ♪ The journey is wonderful ♪ ♪ And I'm here to say ♪ you can do anything ♪ ♪ But love leads the way ♪ ♪ I'm a superhero human being ♪ ♪ Got the world in the palm of my hand ♪ ♪ I'm a superhero human being ♪ ♪ Catch me if you can ♪ ♪ The kindness sweeps in my heart ♪ ♪ And I'm always showing ♪ ♪ The joy and the beauty within ♪ ♪ I love to share it with you ♪ (gentle music) ♪ I was born with the light ♪ that shines bright as a sun ♪ ♪ So bright that it light up a room ♪ ♪ I'm a superhero human being ♪ ♪ Got the world in the palm of my hand ♪ ♪ I'm a superhero human being ♪ ♪ Catch me if you can ♪ ♪ I'm a superhero human being ♪ ♪ Got the world in the palm of my hand ♪ ♪ I'm a super human being ♪ ♪ Catch me if you can ♪ ♪ Super human being ♪ ♪ Catch me if you can ♪