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"How Down Syndrome Lifted
Me Up"
Part Two of Two
By Kurt Kondrich (kkondrich@eiskids.com)
Editor's note: We've reproduced below a wonderfully inspiring
story from the Winter issue of Pennsylvania Pro-Life
Federation's newspaper. Kurt
Kondrich, the father of Chloe, a little girl with Down Syndrome,
has become an advocate for special needs children. He is
Director of Community and Family Outreach at Early Intervention
Specialists (http://eiskids.com/index.htm).
He also serves as Chair of the
Governor's Advisory Council on Early Intervention.
I'm also attaching a link to a youtube video made
by Mr. Kondrich.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOYp02iqPl4&feature=channel
Recently I read an article
about how scientists are going to use an outer space satellite
to monitor the kangaroo rat which is an endangered species. The
article states: "It
allows us to more quickly recognize whether populations are
declining where we want them to exist. If they go below a
threshold, that is when we would consider intervening." I have
a beautiful five-year-old daughter, Chloe, who has Down
Syndrome, and she has brought immeasurable good and light
into the world. Because of the refining of and increase in
prenatal testing, children with Down Syndrome are also an
endangered species with a 90%+ abortion rate once identified in
the womb. Chloe's unique human species
could very well become extinct in another generation if
attitudes are not changed.
An
Incredible Journey
On May 16th 2003
our 2nd child, Chloe Emmanuel Kondrich, was born into
this world, and she placed our family on an incredible journey.
We had no genetic tests done despite the constant pressure from
the medical community, and my wife Margie and I were told
shortly after Chloe entered this world that our daughter had
characteristics of Down Syndrome. I immediately asked if I
could hold Chloe, and the doctor seemed surprised that I was so
excited to hold her. When he placed her in my arms I gazed
into the eyes of my precious daughter and thanked God for her
safe birth. We began our trek into the world of
disabilities, and we were immediately overloaded with
information, questions, concerns and uncertainty.
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Chloe and Nolan
Kondrich |
We knew very little about
Down Syndrome or any disabilities at the time, but we made it
our mission to gain as much knowledge as possible. My son
Nolan, who was 4 at the time of Chloe's birth, saw her only as
his beautiful sister who he looked forward to loving and playing
with. My wife and I embraced our priceless gift and prayed for
God's guidance, strength and wisdom to get the best possible
supports and services for Chloe. Once we got Chloe home and
were settled we were surrounded by a team of Early Intervention
therapists, and these truly amazing individuals planted in our
family priceless seeds of hope and optimism. We celebrated
and treasured each little developmental milestone Chloe reached,
and it has made us as a family much more thankful for each day
the Lord blesses us with.
A Wake-Up Call
Having a child with a
disability allows you to quickly discover the true heart and
core of people, and Chloe and all children with disabilities
are a wake-up call to a world obsessed with perfection, instant
gratification and self. When Chloe was born I was in my 20th
year as a Police Officer. I prayed very hard and decided to
take a leap of faith to pursue a career in Early Intervention to
work with children with disabilities and their families. I
returned to college at the University of Pittsburgh to pursue my
Masters Degree and it was very humbling. My old typewriter
still occupied a spot in the attic as a relic from my
undergraduate days at IUP [Indiana University of Pennsylvania].
With God carrying me I managed to graduate from Pitt with my
Masters Degree, and I now work as the Director of Community and
Family Outreach for Early Intervention Specialists. I am very
active in the disabilities community at the local and state
levels, and my mission remains the same as it did when I was a
Police Officer – To Serve and Protect.
An Amazing Impact
At age 5 Chloe has
positively impacted more people than most individuals do in a
lifetime. Chloe's picture has been on
the big screen in Times Square as part of the National Down
Syndrome Society awareness video, and she has been written about
in several papers. Chloe met Alaska Governor Sarah Palin and
U.S. Senator John McCain twice during the campaign and my
official name has become "Chloe's Dad." Chloe attends her
neighborhood elementary school, and her teachers frequently
comment that the kids are drawn to her. As a family we meet
with new and expecting parents of children with Down Syndrome to
congratulate them and show them the goodness waiting for
them.
There are many challenges
and valleys to navigate when blessed with a child with a
disability, but the rewards are priceless when you are able to
disconnect from this frenzied world and see the glimpse of
Heaven these children offer. I have become so upset by the
movement to abort children with Down Syndrome that I started a
site
http://sadsin.blogspot.com/ to educate people about this
eugenic movement. Instead of the kangaroo rat
I wish we could monitor children
with Down Syndrome from outer space because they truly are a
priceless gift from God who remind us in this self-centered
world that serving others is much more
rewarding than serving ourselves.
Please send your comments on either or both of these columns to
daveandrusko@gmail.com
Part One |
