Boy Invites A Girl To Party—Mom Overhears What Girl Says To Him And Bursts Into Tears

Sep 29, 2020 by apost team

As a parent of a disabled child, it's common to wonder what their life will be like as they grow up and their peers begin to reach certain milestones.

In this story from 2016, the mother of a 10th-grader with Down syndrome named Daniel Rivas was heartbroken to hear her son got rejected after he asked a classmate to be his date to a school dance. It's one of the moments that, as a parent of a child with Down syndrome, you realize how differently the world sees them. But when another classmate named Kylie asked Daniel to homecoming as her date, Daniel's mother was in tears.

Thankfully, that difference isn't something that holds everyone back. When Kylie Fronius heard Daniel Rivas was rejected, she decided to give him a call and ask him to be her date. Kylie truly believes that people with Down syndrome and other disabilities aren't damaged or "less than" like some of the world might treat them.

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“I think about them as normal people with a different view of the world and different learning process," she said in an interview with FOX5. She explained that she views people with disabilities as equal but with unique challenges and characteristics. She took her interview as an opportunity to educate people about Down syndrome, which is a genetic disorder that causes intellectual and developmental delays.

Daniel's mother, Tony, broke down in tears when she heard Kylie had asked him to the school dance. "Words can't describe what I’m feeling," she said to FOX5.

The local news channel was warmed by Daniel and Kylie's story and decided to make their homecoming dance extra special.

The crew showed up at the school on the day of the dance and explained why they decided to come.

The first surprise of the night started with Kylie and Daniel being picked up by a Rolls Royce hired by the news crew. They were then chauffeured to an extravagant dinner at a fancy restaurant before being taken to the school. A red carpet entrance awaited them, and the pair spent the rest of the night dancing and having a wonderful time.

Down syndrome is estimated to occur in one out of every 1000 births. While Down syndrome does result in around 17,000 deaths each year, many children born with Down syndrome grow up and live productive lives. The severity of the disorder varies; some people only experience mild intellectual delays while others require permanent living assistance.

The good news for parents of children with Down syndrome today is that there are a lot of resources and assistance available to help them develop and thrive as much as they possibly can.

There is no known cure or direct cause of Down syndrome, but a mother's age has been proven to be linked to a higher risk. Mothers in their 20s have the lowest risk, while women in their 30s, 40s, and 50s have a greater chance of birthing a child with Down syndrome.

Daniel's mother was touched by Kylie's kindness because it brought her reassurance that her son can find happiness in life despite his differences. Kylie's actions demonstrated that people may not just avoid judgment but also go out of their way to treat Daniel as an equal and include him in their lives.

Kylie and Daniel are a symbol of hope to parents with children who have Down syndrome and worry about how their kids will fit into a society that so often rejects them or treats them like outcasts.

How do you go out of your way to be more inclusive of disabled individuals? Tell us about your most recent act of kindness in the comments!