Guy Whose Father Has Down Syndrome Shares What It Was Like Being Raised By Him, Says He Couldn’t Be More Proud
Parents with Down Syndrome are just as loving as any other parents. That’s the lesson we can all learn after hearing a Syrian student’s tale about his father.
Sader Issa, who studies dentistry in Syria, shared the story of how he was raised by his dad Jad who has Down Syndrome. According to Jad’s son, his dad showered him with love and did the best that he could to make his childhood the same as any kid’s. Sader explained how his father is selfless and a real pillar of the community. Scroll down for Bored Panda’s interviews with Sader himself, as well as with the National Down Syndrome Congress (NDSC), which is aware of Sader and his father’s story.
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In a video interview, Sader Issa told the Syrian Society for Social Development all about being raised by his dad who has Down Syndrome
Sader isn’t ashamed of his father; in fact, he’s very proud of him because he helped turn him into the person with the right values that he is today. Nobody is saying that living with Down Syndrome is easy, however, Sader and his father Jad managed to create a loving relationship that some people would be envious of.
Sader’s dad is named Jad and he has Down Syndrome…
Image credits: SSSD
Image credits: SSSD
Image credits: Sader Issa
Father and son often go together to the former’s workplace at the mill near their home. “I’m proud of my father. Throughout my life he has been the greatest support for me when I needed it,” Sader said about his father who is viewed favorably in his community because people know that he expresses his love for others without wanting or expecting anything in return.
Sader talked to Bored Panda about his father and family after drawing attention to the fact that he is partly bound by a contract that he signed with a production company called The Rascals, limiting what he can talk about.
“We wish all people were able to accept that being different is not something to be ashamed of. People with Down Syndrome are different but they have feelings, aspirations, a mind of their own, and they are capable of living a normal life when there is social acceptance and a society that is supportive,” Sader mused.
“Let us give them a chance and see what great capabilities they have,” he said about people with Down Syndrome. “According to NDSS (National Down Syndrome Society), only three cases have been recognized of fathers with DS and we are not one of these three cases. We wish that Bored Panda can help with getting this story formally recognized by international research organizations.”
…however, the relationship between the father and son is warm and loving, like you’d expect in any family
Image credits: Sader Issa
Image credits: saderissa
Image credits: SSSD
One of the things that really hit us right in the feels is that Jad often tells people that he’s proud of Sader by saying “my son is a doctor.”
“It’s possible to see when his eyes are filled with joy and satisfaction, as if to express: yes, I have Down syndrome, but I raised this man and did everything in my power to make him become a doctor and help others,” Sader explained.
Jad is a pillar of his community and respected by his friends and family alike
Image credits: saderissa
Image credits: saderissa
Image credits: saderissa
It’s not just parents with Down Syndrome who love their children unconditionally. Researchers have studied parents who have children with Down Syndrome and the conclusions are heartwarming. According to one study down in 2012, 99 percent of the 2,044 respondents that participated in the study said that they love their children.
97 percent said that they were proud of them and 79 percent thought that their outlook on life was more positive because they have them in their lives. Only 5 percent of parents were embarrassed by their offspring and 4 percent regretted having them. This means that the vast majority of parents with Down Syndrome are happy to be raising their kids just the way they are.
Sader’s father loves others without reservation, without expecting anything in return. He is incredibly proud that his son is studying dentistry
Image credits: saderissa
Image credits: saderissa
Image credits: saderissa
The NDSC spoke to Bored Panda about how Sader Issa’s story is quite unusual in the regard that “it is actually quite rare for men with Down Syndrome to have children.” According to the National Down Syndrome Congress, this often has to do not with males being sterile, but with their “lack of knowledge” about reproduction.
“Women with Down Syndrome are able to get pregnant, but it does not happen often.”
The NDSC went into detail about Down Syndrome and those it affects: “People with Down Syndrome are more alike their typical peers than they are different. They take longer to reach milestones when they are young, but they reach them! They have feelings and emotions and they want to be treated with respect.”
“People with DS are living great lives!” the NDSC explained, with regard to how things have changed over the years. “The life expectancy for people with DS has increased from age 25 as recently as the 1980s to being 60 now. People gain meaningful employment and live independently, with many attending college and some getting married.”
Dear Pandas, what is your experience with people who have Down Syndrome? What do you think of the beautiful relationship between Sader and his dad Jad? Share your thoughts and stories with everyone else in the comments?
People thought that the father-son relationship was beautiful
I wish the mother had been given the chance to say something as well - except for "I am 3 years older than him". The son was not raised by his Dad but his parents, and I am sure the mother played a central part in the "family management" as well.
Exactly. I have a feeling she is the most hard working person in this situation. I used to take care of many different people with Down Syndrome and even though they were sweet, they were somehow hard to live with, too. I could see some had sexual needs, had their crushes etc. But no matter how slight the Syndrom was, I wouldn't say it was a good idea to start a family. I'm glad this family is a happy one. I'd really like to know why the mother married the father.
Maybe it was an arranged marriage. It's very common in some countries. She had to play a hard game.
This lovely dad with Down's syndrome also has his own parents. His parents must have been very, very supportive of him in order for him to go on to live a normal, fulfilling life. My kudos to them, too! There are all too many children with special needs that are kept hidden away inside their homes in far too many places.
So people with special needs shouldn't reproduce? Ever heard of eugenics? Or low income or women of color being sterilized with their permission? Where does it end?
I worked with people who have learning disabilities, including some with children. They were pretty much like other parents, just needed a little more support with some things. I can remember some who had better parenting skills than their own parents had had.
I suspect she might not have chosen this marriage for herself. The vast majority of marriages in Syria are arranged by the parents even today.
I suspect she fell in love with the man, saw his great personality and was drawn to him. Just because he has Down's doesn't mean he isn't worthy of love on his own terms.
Lol! Where did you get the idea that 'the vast majority of marriages in Syria are arranged '? That's not true. Maybe very few of the Muslim community, but certainly not a lot.
Yes, I would have loved to hear what drew her to this man, what challenges she might have faced from society or her family for choosing a man some people might (foolishly) look down on!!!
Exactly what I was thinking... They focused so much on the dad that i thought the mother was absent until I saw the pictures ...
I had to laugh at the Debbie Downer comment at the bottom. God forbid, we actually look at online story while using our brains!! :-D This story is just nice phrases and photos. We all know how grueling it can be to raise a child and it's just bizarre that there is no mention of the practical issues at all. So chances are, it was not all roses and song.
I have friends from that part of the world and so iv been told a lot of meetings between unmarried men and women happen because their families arrange it. Not to say I think this was a forced marriage but one that was definitely encouraged, if you will
While I agree with your comment, as it is certainly a valid point ( especially as I tend to consider moms as our unsung superheroes), I do believe that the entire reason for Sader’s article was to draw attention to his father in order to show that those with Down Syndrome can still live a full and productive life, work, help raise a family, et cetera. Personal stories, like this, can help those whose lives are touched by the condition feel less alone on their life’s journey...😊
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thanks Debbie Downer
Okay for everyone speculating and wondering about the mother: "My mother and father were introduced through family and I think it was pretty much love at first site! He is treated with love and respect by my mother’s family and by all the people who know him." Here's the actual full story: https://babybrainmemoirs.com/living-with-a-father-who-has-downs-syndrome/
Don't let an extra chromosome get you down.
Best comment here.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Maybe it'll get a baby in your family down. You'll be laughing out the other side of your ugly face then.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Or killed before birth
Monilip you nearly made me commit Godwin's Law here but I came to my senses and refrained from being provoked. Maybe follow my lead and try and think before posting? Apologies if I'm coming across as rude, that's actually part of my point: written comments are so easy to misinterpret either the intention or tone of the writer.
Two years passed. But I don't know what angle he's coming from. It could be something vile, or just ironic. 🤷
I wish the mother had been given the chance to say something as well - except for "I am 3 years older than him". The son was not raised by his Dad but his parents, and I am sure the mother played a central part in the "family management" as well.
Exactly. I have a feeling she is the most hard working person in this situation. I used to take care of many different people with Down Syndrome and even though they were sweet, they were somehow hard to live with, too. I could see some had sexual needs, had their crushes etc. But no matter how slight the Syndrom was, I wouldn't say it was a good idea to start a family. I'm glad this family is a happy one. I'd really like to know why the mother married the father.
Maybe it was an arranged marriage. It's very common in some countries. She had to play a hard game.
This lovely dad with Down's syndrome also has his own parents. His parents must have been very, very supportive of him in order for him to go on to live a normal, fulfilling life. My kudos to them, too! There are all too many children with special needs that are kept hidden away inside their homes in far too many places.
So people with special needs shouldn't reproduce? Ever heard of eugenics? Or low income or women of color being sterilized with their permission? Where does it end?
I worked with people who have learning disabilities, including some with children. They were pretty much like other parents, just needed a little more support with some things. I can remember some who had better parenting skills than their own parents had had.
I suspect she might not have chosen this marriage for herself. The vast majority of marriages in Syria are arranged by the parents even today.
I suspect she fell in love with the man, saw his great personality and was drawn to him. Just because he has Down's doesn't mean he isn't worthy of love on his own terms.
Lol! Where did you get the idea that 'the vast majority of marriages in Syria are arranged '? That's not true. Maybe very few of the Muslim community, but certainly not a lot.
Yes, I would have loved to hear what drew her to this man, what challenges she might have faced from society or her family for choosing a man some people might (foolishly) look down on!!!
Exactly what I was thinking... They focused so much on the dad that i thought the mother was absent until I saw the pictures ...
I had to laugh at the Debbie Downer comment at the bottom. God forbid, we actually look at online story while using our brains!! :-D This story is just nice phrases and photos. We all know how grueling it can be to raise a child and it's just bizarre that there is no mention of the practical issues at all. So chances are, it was not all roses and song.
I have friends from that part of the world and so iv been told a lot of meetings between unmarried men and women happen because their families arrange it. Not to say I think this was a forced marriage but one that was definitely encouraged, if you will
While I agree with your comment, as it is certainly a valid point ( especially as I tend to consider moms as our unsung superheroes), I do believe that the entire reason for Sader’s article was to draw attention to his father in order to show that those with Down Syndrome can still live a full and productive life, work, help raise a family, et cetera. Personal stories, like this, can help those whose lives are touched by the condition feel less alone on their life’s journey...😊
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
thanks Debbie Downer
Okay for everyone speculating and wondering about the mother: "My mother and father were introduced through family and I think it was pretty much love at first site! He is treated with love and respect by my mother’s family and by all the people who know him." Here's the actual full story: https://babybrainmemoirs.com/living-with-a-father-who-has-downs-syndrome/
Don't let an extra chromosome get you down.
Best comment here.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Maybe it'll get a baby in your family down. You'll be laughing out the other side of your ugly face then.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Or killed before birth
Monilip you nearly made me commit Godwin's Law here but I came to my senses and refrained from being provoked. Maybe follow my lead and try and think before posting? Apologies if I'm coming across as rude, that's actually part of my point: written comments are so easy to misinterpret either the intention or tone of the writer.
Two years passed. But I don't know what angle he's coming from. It could be something vile, or just ironic. 🤷