“WooHoo!” Words to live by, and our son, Caleb Prewitt, certainly takes them to heart each day. Living life to it’s fullest is something we all strive to do, right? Caleb might just have the answer, along with others, it seems, who happen to have his condition, Down syndrome.

Caleb is 10, soon to be 11. He is the youngest of four, spread over three decades. His older sister Courtney was 17 when we found out Caleb would make his way into the world that year. He had another surprise – Down syndrome – at birth, along with two heart conditions. The future looked a bit scary. But we’ve come to learn that not much gets in the way of this child’s ability to enjoy people and enjoy each moment. He’s taken us on a journey during these 10 years, discovering new friends and new adventures. Struggles come and go, but so do the successes. It’s been 10 years of learning, that’s for sure.

When Caleb was born, we didn’t know much about children with special needs. We jumped in and began connecting with others – parents, organizations and activities – to help us and help him become the best version of himself. From the beginning, he’s always been an active child, interested in any and all sports, and we started early on with playgroups and Special Olympics.

As he grew, we began traveling to national conferences and advocacy events, which encouraged his independence and his love of adventure. He enjoys traveling and can manage a carry-on bag with the best of them. Another passion has popped up in the past year, and that is cooking! He and daddy have developed quite a rapport in the kitchen, which has led to some opportunities to show those skills off on stage soon.

At just 10, there’s much left to discover and explore. The future, which once seemed uncertain when he was born, now seems bright and exciting for us all. We hope he encourages you to find your own passion and begin your own adventure!