Henry’s Family
Thank you so much for helping us with our sweet baby Henry. You are an amazing family for what you're doing.
When I was fifteen years old, my little brother, Beckem, was born with Down syndrome. He is thirteen now, and I can honestly say he is the glue that holds our family together. I don’t know who I would be without him.
From the very beginning, Beckem has taught us what matters most. Our family is as close as it is because of him. He reminds us every day that being together is what truly counts. In fact, his greatest dream is for all of us to buy a hotel and live together forever.Beckem has a remarkable way of making people feel seen and loved. He lights up whenever someone walks into a room. He can sense when someone is having a hard day and will simply sit beside them until they feel better. He brings joy into ordinary life, whether he’s outside catching bugs or convincing twenty adults to wear full Halloween costumes for his birthday… in June.Loving him has shaped my heart in ways I can’t fully explain. When I learned there was a list of families hoping to adopt a child with Down syndrome, I knew I would be on that list someday. On our very first date, Tanner agreed. Five years of marriage and three-year-old twins later, that dream has brought us here.
Henry’s birth family made the incredibly selfless decision to place him for adoption so he could grow up surrounded by the huge family and village we have. So he would always have siblings, cousins, and someday nieces and nephews by his side. We are so grateful to have a very open adoption, and they’ll even be coming to visit in the next few months.
Henry’s start in life has been difficult, and through it all, he has remained the chillest little guy. As of today, he has spent nearly three months in the NICU. His life has already included two rounds of chemo, three different NICUs, a 3.5 hour medical flight, and a list of specialists long enough that it’s hard to keep them all straight.
But his life has also been filled with love. From his selfless birth family, who stayed by his bedside with us for two months, to his two wild big brothers, who started wrestling on the hospital floor in front of his doctors.
The only person who still hasn’t had the chance to meet him is our inspiration, his Uncle Beckem. Beckem keeps trying to convince us to tell the hospital he’s eighteen so he can finally hold his baby nephew.Henry is already bringing so much joy to everyone around him, and we feel unbelievably lucky and grateful to love him.
