Making A Life Worth Living: My Life With Down Syndrome 

I have a 33-year-old Down Syndrome daughter and feel that we are indeed the lucky ones! She is nothing but a delight and a joy and has a fantastic life. If you ask her she will tell you❤

You're not choosing the best children. And I noticed all of these nice warm cozy stories come from people who are more than able to supply a good life. You do not know what other conditions the person is facing. I'm so sick of this constant judging of other people's choices. I've seen a lot of young girls with Down Syndrome get raped and used as slaves. Keep your nose out of other people's business. You just want to feel Superior find some other topic. What's more you can cover this topic without the Jabs to other people's choices and why they are making them. This is not a balanced report

I would change myself if I could. I hate being disabled. I hate everything about it. I’m dead tired. It’s been decades of pain & anguish. I’ve tried everything. I want rest.

I've met some wonderful people with DS, but also a few terrors! They're not all gentle, happy, or relatively healthy. It would be nice if science could improve their health without changing their core.

I grew up and went to school from Kindergarten through grade 12 with 2 kids with Down's. We even rode the same school bus. Everybody loved both of them. They were the kindest, sweetest, funniest, most loving people I've ever met. They were truly a blessing. I loved that they said they're superior beings. Pure souls.

"A Downs is not a person." That statement literally made my stomach churn and my blood boil, sickening ignorance...

One big problem in choosing to keep or terminate a Down's pregnancy is that no one, not even the elite experts know, before birth and even for several years after birth just how seriously affected by DS any individual will be. Trisomy 21 can be absolutely devastating, even deadly, or people can truly thrive.

The fact is that not all parents are able to cope with a child with learning difficulties. Also, whilst their is no doubt that no one would want this for their children, the people in this documentary have been fortunate enough to have wonderful families and they in turn have turned out beautiful.

Rosia (I think it is)is absolutely adorable and Frank is an amazing individual and human being and astoundingly enlightened and extraordinarily smart

I have had the pleasure to meet and get to know a few people with Down syndrome, they are truly some of the happiest people I've met. They can definitely teach those who are caught up in the everyday norms of trying to meet societal expectations...they just live and actually enjoy it. I envy that for sure. It is amazing to see little Rosia get ready for the day and be so responsible ( I struggle with my 8 year old to even brush her teeth!!) She is just a really well rounded kid. She has a great support system.

Absolutely beautiful documentary, definitely a big well-done to the producer and director. In trying to cover different parts of the world.

I was told my daughter would have down , spina bifida, n water on the brain , they requested I abort her n had me in n out of Drs. Appointment 6 months scaring me to death sayin counting fingers n toes would be least of my worries n she would be whisked away for care if she made it 😤😢❗... I ignored Drs. this was 29 yrs ago, none of this was true for me altho I left it to God , I would ❤ my baby anyway for who she was, when she was born she was small n we almost lost her during birth but she was beautiful n it was all part of God's plan , I'm grateful for my children no matter the circumstances ❤ ✌ 🕯❗... We're all God's creation 😎 n deserve👏💥👏 a life worth living period ✔💯❗

I’m a Speech-Language Pathologist. Receiving speech, occupational and physical therapies is one of the enormous supports our society provides to people with DS. Please encourage any family you know who has a DS member to seek these services to maximize our DS siblings’ independence and effectiveness in participating in daily activities and socializing. 💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕

So much romanticizing of the disabled in these comment sections. People with DS experience a wide variety of emotions. Like anyone else they can become very angry, manipulative & deeply depressed.

But what happens when the parents get too old or sick to care for their adult child? Let’s assume that the responsibility should not or cannot be placed on other relatives. The father in the first clip says that his daughter can’t judge other people. This isn’t a good thing if she is out in public on her own. Adults rely on judgement to protect themselves from dangerous situations. She is at serious risk of being manipulated or taken advantage of. And what if the parents aren’t rich, or even able to afford basic proper care once they are gone? Access to low cost public supports don’t always cover everything and there are long wait times. And private care is very, very costly. They might be able to live completely independently but it’s very unlikely in the majority of cases. The happy moments are great, but there a lot of factors to consider when doing your family planning. Abortion shouldn’t be automatic for each person with DS, but people also have a right to consider their options and do what they think is best for their particular situation.

People with Down Syndrome can do awful things just like any other person! Please stop calling them angels. If you don't know this, you truly don't know someone with DS.

The authority to force birth, can lead to the authority to force abortions. Just remember anti-choice advocates often align themselves politically with fascist eugenicists. They're beautiful people who deserve to be and feel loved and worthy of life. I sympathize with their struggle and understand what they're up against. Some of the rhetoric in the comments are a bit disturbing.

I was told there was a small chance my son could have Down syndrome. I never once cared if he would have it or not, he was my son.

Good parents produce good children, bad parents produce bad children, sounds normal to me. Just like the father here says with the right encouragement. My cousin was born with Downs and she was born to parents from the country in the 1940’s. No help and they did the best they could at the time. She grew up with love but no help. She became massively overweight but had a good life

These beautiful people are a true blessing.The world is a much better place with them in it.

My niece is a Downs and she is 40 and lives with a foster mother and other foster kids with disabilities. Unfortunately she has dementia.

I think these children are very beautiful and understanding and very very loving , smart

There are degrees of Downs. Not all are high functioning. So until the testing can differentiate, most folks will choose termination.

Forgot the main point! This documentary is amazing! Thank you for making others aware of DS! The participants were amazing and I thank them for doing this and helping others learn! Much love!❤️🙌❤️

I went to mainstream primary and secondary school with a girl my age who had down syndrome. She was absolutely fantastic and always used to address me by my full name, & when she saw me years later at my work she still did the same thing! 😅 (I have a really long name so it was just funny and endearing the way she'd say the whole mouthful every time she saw me) I just loved her and often think about her and hope she's doing well xx

What a loving documentary, they are so very precious. From a brother of a boy with Down Syndrome ❤💙

Frank is a legend ♥️♥️♥️

Fantastic. Everyone should watch this. Important message.

It is horrendous that you would abort a child at all, let alone because they have Down Syndrome. Jesus please guide expectant parents to love the life of their unborn children.

The poll is worded in a very confrontational manner

My nephew has Downs. He is the sunshine in our family. We are blessed ❤🌺🕊 EDIT: They are absolutely Superior Beings❤

Great documentary, Extremely informative.

What an absolutely beautiful documentary and Beautiful People. I found myself getting tears of happiness sliding down my cheeks throughout many moments of this amazing documentary!

Shoko warmed my heart🥹

Very informative and educational

They all are Beautiful smart and wonderful people's ❤ I love them all💖💕🎉🎀💪🏾🙏🏽🌟💥💫👍🏽👏🏾🔥🧚‍♂️🧚‍♀️👨‍❤️‍👨👪🏾💕

I’m sorry but when I had my first child at 23 I would have terminated .. when I had my 2nd child at 30 I would not of … I had grown up had more life experience, a Morgage and a better circle of help .. it’s a persons choice

i am a girl and who have down syndrome, and i did undergo operation, i get sick many times way more often, needed the speech and language a lot, later life in primary school, well can i say i had depression and in high school and i get confuse so many times, why is people so kind to me, i don't understand then was at college, i was a dark place and try, and change myself when my dog died, but found my friends, now i still got depression not showing people that i have it, so i try snacking myself away from depression to my uncontrollable of confronting junk food and mostly chocolates.

I work in Assisted Living & take care of a man with Down Syndrome. He's super smart and thriving as an elderly man.

Downs people are just like everyone else....with 1 exception... They're the ones born who know how to love, smile & hug.....our mentors in society. "No one is perfect & I'm a perfect example." As with every person on this planet, we each have diversities...thank goodness! A garden of just red roses has not the beauty of a garden of various colors. HUGS2U ❤️

I LOVED Frank Stevens

Frank stephens is my role model

Most individuals with Down syndrome are mildly to moderately disabled and are MORE than capable of living independent, productive lives as adults. They _may_ require supervision in their homes, but should that determine their worth to society? We have two sons with Down syndrome: one biological, one adopted, and they have been such a blessing to our family. *If you're pregnant and discover your baby has Down syndrome, PLEASE DO NOT abort your baby.* _If you feel you cannot raise a child with DS, I can promise you that there are PLENTY of loving families who will. And your child's life WILL BE well lived._ Also, I want to add that the reason the speech of people with DS may sound odd is physiological. They usually have larger than average tongues and, more often then not, lower muscle tone than the rest of us. These two things together make it more difficult for them to form words.

Im an elephant man. I wish my parents would have done away with me when the docs told them they had not birthed a human, but an elephant man.

What is the best life is? Absolute question so

Frank Stephens is so cringe.

Amazing 🍁 😎🇨🇦

It seems if medical needs are met, a healthy Down's child has so many ABILITIES they could, with family and individual special educational support could thrive with their natural gifts. For example, the child raised bilingual could make a very good living as a translator in unlimited capacities. The artistically gifted child could have an educational choice to learn any art expression that supports their talents. The focus on what is innately their gifts instead of forcing them on to those tasks that they cannot master only makes sense. To think a person who is outside the "average" to think they must accomplish the standard high school or secondary school certificate be successful is not realistic. Like every person the range of what "intelligence" capabilities one has is limited. What is known about Down's Syndrome indicates clearly what subjects are challenging, where special help is needed to reach the basic knowledge. Why push beyond that? The main focus should be on the wide variety of subjects where they can understand the concepts more easily, those they are individually drawn to. That is the best use of education. Where they thrive. Where they can support themselves financially or at least contribute to it Encouraged to live as independently as they can comfortably handle with whatever help they may need readily, I don't understand any reason someone with Down Syndrome Abilities cannot live a happy, productive and successful life. A good life.

I will help

God truly does give special babies to special people. He really knows what he is doing.

I think every baby deserves to live no matter what both my grandchildren were disabled when they were born now they live happy lives in school like normal children I love all children I don't care if my child was born blind I'd still love my baby I lost you babies and a miscarriage so I know how it feels

Every life is worth living

Excellent video! We are all uniquely made! Glory to God!

5:06 I was going to make a joke and say, well, we found Joe Biden's speech writer. But on second thought, nevermind! He was WAY too coherent, it lacked lies, unfounded, angry, rhetoric and it was nowhere near evil and divisive enough to compare to a Joe Biden speech! I stand corrected.