Don't Believe Statistics

Found on Parenting.com message board submitted by josborne "I thought I would write this as some encouragment for parents who have babies with Down Syndrome.
I do not have a baby with Down Syndrome, But I do have a brother with Down Syndrome. I know the doctors probably talk about all the things your child would not do because of Down Syndrome, I want to tell you about my brother.
I am 32 years old and my brother is 35, all he wants is to be like everyone else.Anything he wanted to try my parents let him try it.Here is a list of some of the things he was not supposed to be able to do.
Graduated high school, he got the 21 credits required to graduate and passed the test you have to pass to get a diploma.He could go to college.
He played the drums in the middle school band.He has a job at a park. He has his drivers license, owns his own truck and pays for it with his job.He drives himself to work and the store and knows how to line-dance.One day he wants to be able to live on his own and possibly get married.My parents have always encouraged him and let my brother try anything he wanted.I am proud of my brother and his accomplishments and my parents who pushed him to be everything he can be.
The doctors are not always right."