THE SADDEST THING I HAVE EVER READ!!!!

During Down Syndrome Awareness Week 2006 personal stories about and by a family who have two children with Down syndrome were published in newspapers. Referring to one of the articles we received a comment from a reader who expressed his views on the article.

Hi, I am writing about the article featured in the Saturday paper regarding the parents of 2 down syndrome little girls. To tell you the truth I would not want to be in those parent's shoes. My wife and I terminated two pregnancies once we found out our babies were going to be downs. There was no way we were going to bring special need babies into our family. Those parents in the paper say they are happy however deep inside I am sure they are struggling emotionally. They are not blind. Obviously they have not been around normal babies. With all the resources available nowadays to find out early about the genetics and gender of the baby, why would anybody put themselves thru this kind of life. Just wanted to share my views on this subject.

This is the saddest thing I have ever read. My mom sent it to me today. I cried as I read it, and have tears in my eyes as I read it now again. This one hits a little too close to home. I feel hurt and angry. I feel personally assaulted, offended. This makes me want to scream and yell and to act irrationally. I feel so frustrated! How can anyone think like that? I am deeply insulted. I can't think straight. My mind is going 100 miles an hour but nothing is being accomplished. I can't get my thoughts in order. I hate how wrong he is. How selfish he is. How mislead he is. I feel attacked. I feel disheartened. I feel maddened. I feel heartbroken. I feel discouraged.

Have the efforts put forth by those in the past been fruitless? Have we gone one step forward, three steps back? Will the barriers of misconception ever be brought down? Matthew has your perseverance been in vain?

Matthew, please know, I love you. Our whole family loves you. More people than we can count love you. We would never trade you