No matter who you are and where you find yourself, everybody needs to have a friend. However, sometimes, for various reasons, some of us find it quite a bit more difficult to start new relationships than others do. In cases like this, a little help is always welcome.
A perfect example is this recent story about a boy with Down syndrome, who, despite appearing to be the happiest soul in the room, struggled to find friends of similar age. That is until his dad came up with the idea of organizing kickball games for him and inviting the neighbor kids to play. Soon, the games became the neighborhood’s sensation, and the boy’s life changed forever. Scroll down for more!
More info: TikTok
Everybody needs a friend, but sometimes it's nice to receive a little bit of help to get those friendships going
Image credits: kimberly.dowdell
Jack DowDell was born 14 years ago, and despite having Down syndrome, always carried the happiest smile on his face
Around 14 years ago, Kimberly and Devon DowDell from South Lake City, Utah, welcomed their 4th child - a baby boy named Jack. But even though, due to his Down syndrome, Jack was a little different than his siblings, he has always been the happiest person around, no matter who you place him with.
However, at first, his parents had no idea what to expect, especially since this world is not always inclusive of those who are different. Kimberly and Devon shared with People how worried they were at first, thinking about whether Jack would have friends, get married, and live out his dreams.
Image credits: thekimberlydowdell
The boy's parents were worried about how the world would treat him due to his condition, so they decided to start spreading awareness online
As time went by, the couple realized that while they had doubts, their boy took on the world with wide open arms and the brightest smile. Seeing how happy he was about pretty much anything and wanting to help him feel even better, the parents decided to start raising awareness about Jack’s diagnosis and life with it on social media.
In one of their most recent videos, posted by Kimberly, which received over 1.5 million views and nearly 260,000 likes, the family shared how Jack's dad decided to organize a kickball game so that the boy could get a chance to play and feel included. But while doing something like this was quite likely to succeed, they had no idea just how well it would turn out.
Image credits: kimberly.dowdell
Image credits: kimberly.dowdell
As the boy grew older, he became interested in sports but had trouble finding friends to play with, so his dad decided to organize a kickball game inviting neighbor kids
Giving backstory to the video, Devon explained that while they wanted Jack to exercise and have fun in the summertime, they were worried that his peers would be reluctant to play with him fearing he could get hurt. Thus, the man decided to organize something himself and take on a referee’s mantle to ensure everything ran smoothly.
“The first time, we had 10 kids, but then they went and told their friends and neighbors how fun it was. The games just kept getting bigger and bigger,” shared Jack’s dad. “Before we knew it, I wasn’t having to ask them anymore.”
Image credits: thekimberlydowdell
The game was so much fun that it soon evolved into a regular thing while also starting a bunch of new and genuine friendships for Jack, making it a total success
Ever since then, these kickball games have become the neighborhood’s biggest attraction. However, the most important part about this was all the new and genuine friendships that Jack made.
“Whenever they see him, they wave and say, ‘Hey, Jack.’ That was part of our goal, too — we wanted to help him build friendships without making it feel forced. We wanted him to have friends to hang out with. And now it’s just become a natural thing for the kids to say hi,” concluded Devon, undoubtedly happy about this amazing outcome.
Image credits: thekimberlydowdell
Check out the full video:
Down syndrome condition has been associated with a certain amount of stigma for as long as it existed, and even though the world is becoming more and more accepting by the day, there’s still a long way to go.
As per Dr. Ananya Mandal’s article on News Medical, throughout history, people with Down syndrome have often been removed from our general society. It wasn’t until the middle of the last century that some dedicated parents, physicians, researchers, and organizations finally managed to crack the ice and start changing the world’s opinion of these individuals.
Image credits: thekimberlydowdell
Thanks to that, today, things are better than they have ever been. While people with Down syndrome require special educational support, the future seems bright. According to a piece by Moira Lawler on Everyday Health, the outdated idea that people with this condition are unable to hold a job or live independently is finally becoming a thing of the past.
Nowadays, no matter how many chromosomes you have, everyone can go to college and find jobs that provide equal opportunities to everyone. Depending on the individual with Down syndrome, they may live in a group setting or completely on their own, while having supported or, in some cases, even competitive employment, making them no worse than anyone else.
Image credits: kimberly.dowdell
In the end, it’s important to remember that we’re all unique individuals, and no single thing can ever define us. Everyone deserves a chance at a happy and fulfilling life, and it’s important to remember that, just like playing kickball, we can’t do this alone.
What did you think about this story? Who do you think Jack will be when he grows up? Share it all in the comments below!
The commenters found Jack's happiness to be very contagious, with some even asking where those kickball games were happening so that their kids could join
