Age 5 Boy with Down Syndrome Surprised with Enough Toys To Fill Entire Front Yard
Over 5 years ago, Lindsey Meiser got some news that could stop any mother’s heart. She found out that the child she was carrying might have Down syndrome — but the way the news was relayed to her was absolutely gut-wrenching.
Since that day, she has circulated her response to the doctor who so coldly informed her of her child’s odds.
“The doctor will not remember me, but I will never forget her,” she shared on Facebook.
“I put my trust in her at the most difficult time of my life, a trust that was shattered. She called me over the phone to tell me, ‘There is a 99.9% chance your child has Down syndrome and I’m sorry, but it is too late for an abortion.’ Had I been driving, I would have probably been in a car accident… plus, the thought of an abortion never crossed my mind.”
“I went back to her office overwhelmed by fear because I hate confrontation. I told her colleague how disrespected I felt, and how the news should have been delivered differently.”
“She replied, ‘Look, there is no right way to tell you your child has Down syndrome.’ I later told my OBGYN that I would not return to the Specialists office. He understood, almost as if he had heard it before.”
On July 20, 2014, Meiser gave birth to Noah, who did end up having Down syndrome. But she says she wouldn’t have it any other way now, and Meiser has since become an advocate for other parents and children who have the condition.
“I am writing this because I pray the doctor will never make any mother feel the way I did,” she continued. “I pray one day she will have enough respect for mothers to deliver the message in person. I hope she will one day feel the love of children with disabilities. I hope she will never say the words, ‘I’m sorry, it is too late for an abortion’ to any mother again, and that she shows not only these women but also these babies a little more love and compassion.”
Meiser wrote that her son is healthy, happy and lights up their world. She wants other mothers who get the news to be able to move forward with confidence and love, not fear.
“Noah doesn’t see limitations,” Noah’s dad, Zach, told Inside Edition. “He doesn’t see color or race. He doesn’t see disabled, or not disabled, or special needs, or not special needs. Noah sees another human being that he gets to interact with.”
Noah is now 5 years old and a bundle of energy. He was also recently the recipient of quite the gift from Little Tikes, which is running a campaign called “Project Play Big!” where they identify deserving families and then rain down presents on them.
Brett Tutor is the host of the show, and he made the trek to Louisville, Kentucky, to meet parents Lindsey and Zach — who he found out initially met when they were both recovering from addictions.
He caught up with the Meisers, learning about their daily challenges with Noah. Tutor called his crew, who set up a huge display of toys on the front lawn, all of them for the energetic 5-year-old.
Noah was definitely impressed when he was set loose on the stash, his eyes lighting up as if it were Christmas morning.
“Brett showed up and they came inside,” Zach Meiser told Inside Edition. “We sat down and we got to know each other, and then Little Tikes brings just this plethora of toys. When I say plethora, it filled our front yard. Noah was just overwhelmed.”
The family was concerned that they weren’t spending as much time playing with Noah as they could, but Little Tikes’ gift is definitely a step toward more playtime.
“It really put into perspective that we could be doing more playtime with Noah,” the dad said. “We could be doing more family time with Noah, which to him means the world … I think it’s important for anybody who has kids to just turn the TV off, put the cellphone down, and to play with your kid.”
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