Bill plays with ping pong balls at his home with his mother. JOZIE SANDS Chief Photographer

Sadie Weaver’s third pregnancy did not turn out as planned. As a mother to two nearly grown children, Sadie thought she knew what to expect.

She knew as a woman grew older, so did her odds of bearing a child with a disorder. She knew tests could detect Down syndrome while the child was still in the womb. She knew the results of those tests would not matter, so she never ran them. Sadie was keeping her baby regardless. Abortion, even in the case of mental dysfunction, was out.

Her pregnancy progressed, and all felt normal. Sadie gave birth to a beautiful baby boy named Bill. Then the blood work came back, and the results felt like a kick in the stomach.

The two palm lines on his tiny hands, his almond-shaped eyes, the enlarged space between his big toe and the next and the position of his ears on his head – lower than normal – all pointed to Down syndrome. But the blood work confirmed what the parents of “Little Bill” feared: their brand new baby boy suffered from an incurable genetic disorder that would leave him physically and mentally slower than his peers for the rest of his life.

Bill practices walking between his parents outside their home. Children with Down syndrome often learn skills and develop slower than other children. JOZIE SANDS Chief Photographer

The Breakdown

More than 400,000 people of all races and economic levels live with Down syndrome in the United States, according to the National Down Syndrome Society Web site, www.ndss.org. One in every 733 babies is born with Down syndrome, and many of those will live out their average 60 years of life with characteristically low muscle tone, small stature, upward-slanting eyes and sometimes, significant cognitive delays.

The disorder often becomes obvious at birth, and therapy, stimulation and familial support can reduce the impact of the syndrome’s most common traits, according to the NDSS Web site. People with Down syndrome can attend school, hold jobs and make life-altering decisions, although they may develop these skills at a slower rate than normal.

People with Down syndrome have lived to do great things, Sadie said, including acting as a profession, and they seem blessed with invaluable people skills.

“They almost need to go reach out to people,” she said. “It’s kind of strange that they have this inbred knowing someone needs a hug. It’s just a sweet spirit they have.”

Down in Abilene

Several families in the Abilene community deal with Down syndrome, Sadie said. They gather in a support group of sorts, called Upside Down, to share valuable experiences and encouragement over dinner.

“It’s just neat to talk to others,” Sadie said. “It’s just neat to get information from other people who have been there.”

Sadie said she enjoys being able to ask parents of older children with Down syndrome for tips and offering advice to new parents.

Sadie Weaver holds her two and a half year old son, Bill, outside their home. Bill was born with Down syndrome. JOZIE SANDS Chief Photographer

October is National Down Syndrome Month, and a Walk for Awareness is scheduled to raise awareness of Down syndrome both within the community of those affected and the Abilene community at large. The walk offers another tool for people dealing with the disorder to connect.

Participants will walk from 8:30 a.m. to around 1 p.m. at Disability Resources Inc. at 3602 N. Clack St., said Forrest Weaver, Sadie’s husband and Bill’s father.

The event features a pumpkin patch, pumpkin-carving contest, hayride and face painting, in addition to the walk. Refreshments also will be available.

The walk, based on the “Buddy Walks” supported by the NDSS, will serve as a valuable resource, Forrest said.

“It’s kind of like an information hub,” Forrest said. “If somebody has a resource and knows about something that can help them, then it’s a good avenue to find out that stuff too.”

Bill hugs his mother, Sadie, outside their home after walking about 15 feet into her arms. JOZIE SANDS Chief Photographer

The Upside

Now, “Little Bill” is two and a half years old and learning to walk. With the help of therapy that began when he was 3 months old and the love of supportive parents, the toddler now practices running between his open-armed parents.

“The early intervention has been a godsend,” Sadie said. “He’s just a joy. He’s really laid back. He always has a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye. He’s just precious.”

In a life of challenges and struggles with what can be a debilitating disorder, it seems the sweet spirit of people like Bill become the “upside of Down syndrome.”

“I feel very blessed by God to have him in our lives and to be able to enjoy being around him and his happiness and his sweet spirit,” Forrest said. “It’s like whenever you get to hold him, it’s like hugging a lump of sugar. He’s it.”