From the moment we were told about your mother’s pregnancy we loved you. The day you were born we loved you. We found out that there was a very good chance that you had Down syndrome and we never stopped loving you.
My niece Alexandra Mary was born on October 17, 2006 along with her twin Samantha Maria. The entire family was there to welcome the new additions to the family. The aunts, uncles and cousins were so excited. The news that Allie was born with Down syndrome came as a shock to everyone. We had never had to deal with something like this before. My sister had to not only recoup from surgery and take care of twins, but she had to learn about Down syndrome and how to care for a child with special needs. While this story is about Allie, the real story is about her mom, my sister Luisa and her tirelessness when it comes to Allie and her needs along with her three other siblings and extended family.
Luisa does and will do whatever it takes to help Allie live a “normal” life. She is her greatest advocate. She fights for her rights in school; she involves her in activities that keep her balanced. Allie has many things yet to learn, but she is a well-rounded, feisty little girl attending 1st grade and she is also a Girl Scout (Daisy) and attends religious classes. While all this seems like ordinary to most, for she and her mom it is huge. Never mind that she has other children that are active in and out of school.
Since the inception of the Long Island Buddy Walk in 2006, the entire family including aunts, uncles, cousins and friends attend to show our support for Allie and all that she is doing. Daily life can be very tough but each day there are new milestones and new heartaches. It takes a strong person to do what Luisa does daily. I am inspired by all that my sister does and because of this, all that Allie has accomplished. Words cannot describe how proud I am to share their story.