If you’re in the mood for a feel-good story , you’re in luck. If you’re also in the mood for the story of an underdog , you’re even luckier!
Jad Issa is a man with Down’s syndrome . Unfortunately, there is a misconception that those with the condition have trouble dating and having children. Well, not only is Jad married, but he also raised a son who became a doctor!
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We all love an underdog story.
There’s the astonishing story of Jerry Windle. He’s a gay, single man who no one expected him to become a father.
But Jerry managed to do just that and even raised a strong Olympian!
“There was such homophobia and bigotry around the concept of a gay person being a parent,” Jerry Windle told ‘TODAY’s’ Hoda Kotb.
“Even folks who loved me said, you can’t be a dad if you’re going to be gay,” he added.
He proved them wrong the day he met and adopted Jordan, a sick little boy at a Cambodian orphanage.
“He was 2 years old but he was 16 pounds. I didn’t know if he would live or die,” Jerry said.
“I promised him that I would do everything that I could, that he wouldn’t ever have to suffer again,” he said.
“I would make every sacrifice I could as a parent to get him every opportunity,” he added. He’s kept that promise.
Thanks to Jerry’s love and commitment to never give up on him, that same little one grew up to be a star.
He represented the U.S. Olympic Diving Team at the Olympics and became the first diver of Cambodian descent to compete in the Olympics.
This next story will equally blow you away.
Jad Issa is a man with Down syndrome. But he hasn’t let that stop him from being the best father he could be.
His son, Sader, fondly remembers a childhood full of lots of love.
His father would spend a lot of time with him, wrestling and playing games.
The family was accepted and supported by their local community in Syria, which helped.
Despite some limitations, Jad worked hard to help further his son’s education and career goals.
This meant working hard in a wheat mill and saving money for his son’s college tuition.
Being a good example of hard work and resilience is what inspired Sader to become a doctor.
“I think I would’ve been much less excited about life and much less passionate about what I do if I didn’t have my special father,” he wrote on Instagram .
Now, Sader is a dentist.
This is one of the highest-paying jobs in Syria, where he lives. Amazing!
Speaking to Metro , Sader shared some of the comments his family frequently gets.
One of the most common is from people wondering how a person with Down Syndrome is able to get married.
“One of the concerns people have is how can a woman who doesn’t have Down’s syndrome marry a man with DS?” Sader said.
“I believe if the two partners were on the same page then why not get married? They are intellectually suitable for each other; very simple but loving and caring people.”
Jad’s incredible story is an example of proving the naysayers wrong.
Jad is such a proud father of the man he raised.
Sader has said that his dad will tell people, “my son is a doctor” with a twinkle in his eyes.
H/T: Metro
