“The day Tanique was born, my life changed forever. We received the news that she had Down Syndrome. Honestly, I had only heard a little about Down Syndrome before because in Aruba, you didn’t hear much about it. At that moment, we entered a new world, one we weren’t prepared for. But with a lot of love, we accepted our child’s condition, knowing it would require a lot of dedication and attention.
We sent blood tests to the Netherlands to confirm this, and then we received the result that she had Down Syndrome with trisomy of chromosome X. At that moment, I understood that I wasn’t just becoming the father of a child, but of a very special child. This was the beginning of a task of love, patience, and dedication to guide my child to a full and happy life.”
“When she was younger, our days with Tanique could be very long, but we dedicated a lot of attention to help her develop in everything she could do. One of my favorite moments is when she was little, and she would wake up early every Sunday to go to the beach. Now that Tanique is a teenager, we dedicate different but equally special moments with her. She loves to go out and explore, and we do this with her just like any other teenager her age.”
“Tanique is everything to me; my world revolves around her. I believe a child with Down Syndrome comes to parents who have patience and to help them grow. Tanique is very loving and shy. She loves to model, dance, and paint, and when you see her on stage, you wouldn’t believe she has Down Syndrome—she just shines. "Our daily routine involves my wife taking me to work and then taking Tanique to school, which she loves very much. The special part is that every day when she gets home from school, she calls me at work, and that is just nice.”
“People with Down Syndrome should not be limited in any way; each one is special in their own way and deserves their due attention. The reality is that in our society, a special person often gets a 'label' which should not be the case.
We must support and dedicate a lot of time to them. Parents must teach their children that those with special needs are just like them and should be treated equally.”
“As a father of a child with Down Syndrome, my advice is to take them everywhere. Show society that they also exist and are part of our community, and they should be treated like any other person without limitations.”
“For myself, I hope for a healthy and happy life so I can be there for her until the end, filling her days with everything she loves to do and making sure she is content. As she often says, ‘Papi, I am happy.’ When she does the things she loves, it surely makes you feel good.”
Built with Shorthand