The Real Celebrities
All parents have high hopes for their children. They have dreams that their children will live happy, successful, and fulfilling lives. When you are a parent to a child with Down Syndrome, your hopes and dreams are no less significant. Even 15-20 years ago, however, expectations for individuals with Down Syndrome were not what they are today. There were few widely-recognized people with DS who children could look up to and consider role models.
More and more today, people with Down Syndrome are appearing in commercials, tv shows, movies, and magazines. Before beginning research on the topic, I had maybe three celebrities with Down Syndrome that I could think of off the top of my head. I was shocked, however, to find endless stories online of people with Down Syndrome who have become nationally and internationally known for their talents. Every google search pulled up numerous names of people whose stories blew me away. The individuals listed below are just a few of those who I came across in my search. Please take the time to read at least a few of their amazing stories...these people are truly inspirational for kids like my Ty. Knowing how talented he is already, I can only imagine what his future has in store for him!
Athletes, Artists, and Musicians
Jane Cameron's Story - artist
Sujeet Desai's Story - accomplished musician
Michael Johnson's Story - artist
Bernadette Resha's Story - artist
Karen Gaffney's Story - self advocate, and swimmer who swam the English Channel and Lake Tahoe
Lauren Potter - Actress from the tv show Glee
Stephane Ginnsz- First actor to star in a film in 1995
Monica and David - Couple from the HBO documentary Monica and David, which follows their wedding and first year of marriage
Evan Sneider - Actor who was widely acknowledged at the Toronto Film Festival
Chris Burke - Actor, most commonly known from his role on Life Goes On
Andrea Fay Friedman - Actress, also known from her role on Life Goes On
Luke Zimmerman - Actor who stars in the tv show, Secret Life of the American Teenager
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