Every day, thousands of newborns are born with distinct features that define them apart. While all babies are naturally lovely and deserving of love and care, not everyone accepts this truth. In some heartbreaking circumstances, parents contemplate disowning or abandoning their children if they do not fit their preconceived standards of beauty at birth.

Even in this day and age of awareness and reason, newborns born with Down syndrome suffer uncertainty due to continuing misconceptions about the disorder. Evgeny Anisimov, a Russian father, is on a quest to erase the stigma connected with Down syndrome while raising his son, Misha, who has the illness, on his own.

Evgeny, 33, is motivated to show the world that children with Down syndrome are just as deserving of love and affection as other children. He has become the sole caretaker after his wife left because she was unable to cope with their son’s diagnosis.

A doctor informed them of the diagnosis one minute and 39 seconds after Misha’s delivery, adding, “I fear that your baby has Down Syndrome.”

“I didn’t know how to react when I heard the possibility that my son had Down Syndrome,” Evgeny said in an interview with Bored Panda. I believed it was my responsibility to conceal my emotions, use my mind, and help my wife, as I imagined it would be more difficult for her.”

“I left the hospital and cried after learning about my son’s Down Syndrome, though not for long,” he continued. My tears later made me feel somewhat humiliated. After all, nothing in my life had fundamentally changed. I still had both limbs and legs, my professional expertise was intact, and I still had my determination, drive, curiosity, and everything else.

Everything went as planned, and my kid was born. But he’s a remarkable youngster, and his life and future are crucial. And now I’m crying! It’s a form of self-centeredness! Isn’t that unfair? No, it’s entirely my fault. We did not have amniocentesis—obviously, the likelihood was low, but nevertheless. We desired a child, so we accepted responsibility for it. After all, there are a plethora of possibilities: autism, cerebral palsy, genetic abnormalities, and so on. And, as I later discovered, Down Syndrome is not the worst.”

That night, Evgeny set out on a mission to learn more about Down syndrome. “I learned that in Europe, people with Down Syndrome are well-integrated, capable of living and working independently,” he said. “But my decision to keep my son was not influenced by that.”

Leaving his son was never a consideration for the new father, though his wife did not share the same sentiment. “At no point did I think of leaving my son in an orphanage; that would be inhumane,” he stated. Eventually, he and his wife parted ways, and now Evgeny raises Misha on his own.

He emphasized, “When a child is born, he poses a question to the outside world: ‘Am I needed here or not?’ And I answer with absolute certainty: ‘Son, you are needed!’ Being with him, even on my own, is an ordinary action for an ordinary man. I want to stress that I am an ordinary man, not some kind of hero.”

Evgeny’s goal is to raise awareness about Down syndrome, ensuring that no future parent regards having a child with the condition as a punishment or insurmountable obstacle. He shared with Bored Panda: “I hope that those who are facing difficulties now, as we once did, read about us. Do not be afraid! Everything will be fine!”

In my opinion, individuals like Evgeny should be celebrated and admired for their unwavering determination. He serves as an inspirational figure, and Misha is undoubtedly fortunate to have him as a father.