AMERICAN FORK, Utah — Students at American Fork Junior High School recently recognized World Down Syndrome Day. Brady Murray led the rally to celebrate the superpowers of children with Down syndrome while honoring kindness and inclusivity.
Brady is the father of 13-year-old Cooper. The Murrays adopted Cooper, a boy with Down syndrome, from China. “We felt in our heart a draw to China, and we know exactly why – our son was in Chin, and we had to go get him,” Brady said.
Now, Cooper is an important member of the American Fork community. “The biggest fear that I had when I found out I had a son with Down syndrome is how would others treat him,” Brady said.
Turns out that in this Utah community, there was no reason to be worried.
At the rally, Brady honored three of Cooper’s classmates who chose kindness and friendship. “We were going to go trick-or-treating and wanted to make sure Cooper was included,” said Lincoln Belliston, an 8th-grade student.
Lincoln and two others made sure Cooper was part of their Halloween plans. “He was pretty excited because we are friends at school, and he was excited to hang out with us,” added 8th-grade student JD Edwards.
That display of inclusivity made a tremendous impact on the Murray family. “To be able to come today and see those three boys step up and just be an amazing friend,” Brady said.
He hopes others see that example and do their part to share good in the world. He knows every individual has the power to make a difference – just like Cooper and his friends do every day.
“Every kid here has a song they are meant to sing,” Brady said. “That's the message we wanted to share. The way we do that is through the superpower of Down syndrome.”
Brady founded an organization to raise awareness about Down syndrome while providing resources and educating families about adoption. To learn more about the nonprofit, click here.
