As a parent, all you can aim for is to be someone your children look up to. It’s a difficult task on its own, but what if the parent has Down Syndrome? Syrian dental student Sader Issa is overwhelmed with admiration and pleasure for the way his father raised him.

Jad Issa has Down Syndrome, but that hasn’t prevented him from lavishing his son with love and giving him every chance to succeed.

Despite his strange father, Sader grew up exactly like the other kids in the area. Sader’s narrative is one of love in the face of adversity, and it debunks several preconceptions regarding persons with Down Syndrome’s ability to nurture or raise children.

“I am very proud of my father.” He has always been the most supportive person in my life when I needed it.”

Sader described his father as selfless, and how he has become the backbone of his family, a true pillar in the community, and a huge encouragement in his path through dentistry.

Sader was never ashamed of his father’s condition, and as he grew older, he became even more proud of his father’s ability to overcome adversity.

Jad may have to face the challenges of living with Down Syndrome for the rest of his life, but he grew into a person with the right values and attitude.

He also became a role model for his son, showing him how to do more with less and overcome obstacles with perseverance and optimism.

Sader wants the world to know that, despite the challenges of Down Syndrome, his father was able to live a normal life and establish a healthy and loving family relationship.

Sader is also aware that his father is proud of his achievements in dentistry. “It’s possible to see when his eyes are filled with joy and satisfaction as if to say: yes, I have Down syndrome, but I raised this man and did everything I could to make him a doctor and help others.”

Perhaps the love that parents with Down Syndrome have for their children also comes from a sense of wonder. According to the National Down Syndrome Congress (NDSC), “it is actually quite rare for men with Down Syndrome to have children.”

The issue is not related to sterility, but more to a “lack of knowledge” about reproduction. “Women with Down Syndrome are able to get pregnant, but it does not happen often.”

In reality, people with Down Syndrome are both unique and similar. According to the NDSC, “people with Down Syndrome are more alike than they are different from their typical peers.” When they are young, they take longer to reach milestones, but they do! They have feelings and emotions, and they want to be respected.”

The outlook for people with Down Syndrome has shifted over time. “People with DS are living great lives!” said the NDSC.

Life expectancy for people with Down syndrome has increased from 25 in the 1980s to 60 today. People find meaningful work and live independently, with many going to college and some marrying.”

As the kid of a Down Syndrome father, Sader put it best: “We wish all people could accept that being different is not something to be ashamed of.”

People with Down Syndrome are unique, but they have sentiments, aspirations, and a mind of their own, and they are capable of living a normal life when social acceptance and a supportive community exist.”

Jad has always showed unconditional affection to Sader throughout his childhood and his path through dentistry on his road to becoming a doctor. What more could a son want?

See Sader’s touching father story in the video below: