Tommy's Story

Images Captured by Birds on a Wire Photography

Meet Tiny Light Tommy.  This happy, little two-year-old enjoys singing, eating, playing, crawling and getting into trouble.


Tommy was diagnosed with Down Syndrome at birth, and his parents were shocked.  It took his father some time to accept the diagnosis.  The hardest part of their journey so far is living in a small town with no other children with Down Syndrome close to Tommy’s age.  His parents worry that he might be made fun of because of his disability.


Tommy keeps busy with physiotherapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy.  He is healthy and his parents are confident that he will reach all milestones of a typical developing child, just on his own timeline.  They hope he lives a “close to normal” and happy life and gains independence in time.
“Having a child with Down Syndrome is not a negative thing, it is just a different type of normal.”

Story by Emily Harrison

Rachel's Story

 Images Captured by GingerSnaps Photography

Tiny Light Rachel can and will do anything she sets her mind to.  She is a happy, intelligent, and loving little girl who enjoys singing, swimming, reading, and swinging.  Rachel also likes playing practical jokes, especially hiding behind doors and jumping out at people yelling “Boo!”  Her siblings adore her, and she touches the hearts of everyone who takes the time to get to know her. 

Rachel’s parents were told that she might have Down Syndrome when she was just one month old.  They were anxious as they waited for the results of her tests.  When she was diagnosed, they were devastated.  However, they quickly came to the realization that they were given a gift.  Their faith helped them stay strong, and they made a point to focus on their beautiful baby girl, rather on her diagnosis.

Initially, Rachal’s parents worried about her future, but now know that “she will get as much out of life as she wants.”  They hope the same thing for Rachel as they do for their other children: to meet a nice boy, get married, and have a job.

As her parents say, “Having a child with Down Syndrome isn't always easy…but the joy that these amazing children bring, far outweighs the scary stuff.”

Story Written by Emily Harrison

Christian's Story

Images Captured by Misty Dawson Photography

Tiny Light Christian always has a smile on his face, despite the struggles he faces every day. He is a “low-key kind of guy” who enjoys spending his time in quiet and peaceful environments. He is very affectionate and loves when his mother runs her fingers through his hair as he falls asleep. He also loves relaxing in the pool and being in his Snoezelen room (a controlled multisensory environment). 

After a healthy pregnancy, Christian’s mother had complications during her delivery. Due to a lack of oxygen to his brain, Christian was born with cerebral palsy with spastic quadriplegia and global development delay. He also lives with a severe seizure disorder, scoliosis, and cortical blindness. Christian requires a feeding tube and reacts poorly to too much stimulation, noise, and even the weather. He requires constant care and supervision and needs someone to provide suctioning so he does not choke.  Because of this, it is challenging for him to leave the house with his family.

Last year marked a milestone for Christian, as he exceeded the life expectancy his doctors predicted. His health continues to deteriorate but his family cherishes every moment they have with him. Christian has had an incredible impact on his family and those around him. “He has brought a whole new meaning to life and has led us down a path we wouldn't have known if not for him.”

Story by Emily Harrison

Sam's Story

Images Captured by Anastasia Photography

Meet Tiny Light Sam. This happy little guy loves snuggling with his mom, playing with his dad, and watching his sister be silly.Though he has had more happen to him in the first year of his life than most people go through in a lifetime, he greets every day with a smile.
Sam was born at 27 weeks and 5 days, on his father’s 40th birthday. He weighed only 698 grams and spent 110 days in the NICU, requiring respiratory support nearly the whole time and undergoing numerous procedures including blood transfusions, x-rays, heel pokes, and drug treatments. Through all this, his parents remained optimistic, hoping to send positive energy to their son.
Today, Sam weighs over 14 pounds and is nearly meeting all developmental milestones. He may face motor and cognitive delays and his immune system and lungs are compromised, but he gets stronger every day. Sam’s mother encourages families to reach out to each other while in the NICU. This helped her stay strong and also resulted in making new friends who understand the struggles of raising a child born prematurely.

His parents are concerned about what challenges may lay ahead, but know that their son is strong. “I worry that the possible developmental delays he may experience would mean that he has to work harder than some but I know already that he is one tough cookie!”

Story by Emily Harrison