On January 21, 2015, Samuel Forrest was called into a private hospital room in
Armenia, after his wife gave birth. The doctors told Forrest his son, Leo, was born with
Downs Syndrome, and that Forrest had the option to abandon the child.
“I had a few moments of shock,” he told ABC News. But then he held his newborn for the first time, he fell in love."
“I looked at this guy and I said, he’s beautiful,” Forrest said of the meeting. “He’s perfect and I’m absolutely keeping him.”
Samuel Forrest's wife - the mother of Leo, wants no part of the baby. It is not uncommon, in Armenia, to give up children born with genetic defects such as Down Syndrome. They do not have the same amount of public knowledge or support, and it can cause family disgrace in some parts of the world. His wife told Forrest, if he kept the baby, she would divorce him, and she kept her word, filing for divorce one week later.
Forrest has decided to go back to New Zealand, where he is from, so that he and his child can receive the emotional and social support they need. Not having much money, he started a GoFundMe campaign, which has raised over $450,000. His original goal was $60,000 to pay for one year of expenses, while he looked for a job that gave him flexibility to spend time with his son. He now will most likely have several years to create a loving, healthy, and nurturing home for his son, and Forret says he will use additional funds to help with Downs Syndrome activism and awareness.
Here is the GoFundMe note of gratitude Samuel Forrest wrote on Thursday.
Thanks everyone – we are stunned beyond words at the incredible support & love you’ve shown for little Leo.
9 days after we started our campaign, Leo and I found out in the wee hours of morning that we had crossed our target! He is a lucky guy to have the support of thousands of friends like you around the world.
Some of the additional funds that we have raised will be used to secure better living conditions in Auckland, and to give Leo higher quality opportunities when it comes to education - a good home and school cost money, but Leo will have all that and more, thanks to you.
We will use some of the money you’ve given to fund facilities and programs here in Armenia that will support future parents to keep their kids despite all disabilities, and to help better care for the special ones who end up away from their Mom & Dad. We’d also like to share the surplus funds with the only orphanage in Armenia that regularly takes abandoned Down Syndrome babies as well as other organizations that can help these children – thanks to your support we can start to make a difference already
Thanks again for your care and generosity!
It's heartwarming, not only to hear of his story, but to also see the generous outpour of love and support for Samuel and Leo Forrest, from around the world. May this sweet child grow up knowing he is always loved and cherished. And it would be lovely to see more of this kind of support, not only for fathers like Forrest, but also for the millions of mothers around the world who are left to raise differently-abled children on their own.
Here is a link to the 'Bring Leo Home' GoFundMe.com page.
On the Bring Leo Home page, more is mentioned about Leo's birthplace:
Health professionals estimate that 98% of all Down Syndrome babies born in Armenia are abandoned, every year. These abandoned babies are often placed in squalid orphanages, where they live and die, rejected and forgotten by society.
To learn more about Downs Syndrome visit:
National Downs Syndrome Society (NDSS) or call the
NDSS HELPLINE 800-221-4602.
For more information on GoFundMe campaigns you can got to their site's homepage or watch the 84-second video.