Dad Refused To Give His Newborn Son With Down Syndrome To Foster Care After His Wife Left The Two Of Them

When a mother considered foster care for her son, the father chose to raise his child with Down Syndrome alone. October serves as Down Syndrome Awareness Month, highlighting the challenges and prejudices faced by individuals with Down Syndrome. Growing up in a nurturing family environment gives these children the opportunity to lead normal lives.

Regrettably, many newborns with this condition are left by their parents due to fear of the unknown.

However, more parents are now advocating for awareness and educating others about the abilities and significance of children with trisomy 21.

They unanimously recognize their children as unique, compassionate, optimistic, and capable of unconditional love. Evgeny Anisimov, a 33-year-old from Russia, is one such parent who has committed to keeping his son in his life and advocating for him.

His wife eventually left him following the birth of their baby because he refused to place the child in an orphanage. Precisely a minute and a half after the baby's birth, the doctor suspected Down Syndrome, which was later confirmed by tests.

Despite being shocked and upset, Evgeny never thought of abandoning little Misha, who was born with pneumonia.

When asked about his immediate reaction upon receiving his son's diagnosis, he explained:

“I didn’t know what to do when I learned of the hypothesis that my son had Down Syndrome. I thought my task now was to turn off emotions, ignite thoughts, support my wife because I believed it would be more difficult for her. The results of the analysis were promised in a few days, and until then, I decided not to say anything to her. “

He added:

“I remember that upon learning that my son has Down Syndrome, I left the hospital and cried, but not for long. Later, I was a little embarrassed by these tears. In my life, after all, nothing had changed, in general. I was still with two arms, with two legs, my professional knowledge had gone nowhere.

My determination, activity, curiosity, and so on—everything was with me. Everything happened as I planned, my son was born. But the child is special, his life and future destiny are already very significant. And I’m roaring here!

This is some kind of selfishness! Is it not fair? No, it is my responsibility. You did not have an amniocentesis—it is clear that the probability was low, but still. You wanted a child, so you took responsibility for it. After all, there are many options: autism, cerebral palsy, genetic mutations… And Down Syndrome is not the worst, as I learned later.”

Upon returning home that night, he delved into researching the diagnosis, having no prior knowledge of it. His online search revealed that in Europe, individuals with Down syndrome are well-integrated and capable of living and working independently.

Conversely, his wife felt unprepared to care for a child with special needs. She was adamant that the child should be placed in an orphanage. Evgeny was prepared to leave her if it came to that, but he resolved to raise his son by himself.

He attempted to persuade her that they could manage the challenge together, yet the dispute ultimately drove them apart.

He later remarked:

“When I made the decision, I had not yet thought about the likelihood of an optimistic scenario. I thought: well, he’s going to enjoy the sunrise, I’m going to take him out to barbecue, he’s going to live his life. Yes, maybe he seems unhappy to someone, but he will have his own life. At no time did I think of leaving my son in an orphanage, that would be inhumane.”

He explained that he and his wife had a good and trusting relationship, and he now understands that she was then scared, but “the rubicon was already crossed and it was too late to retreat from the scenario.”

Evgeny, now a single father, dedicates himself to planning enriching activities for his son Misha, aiming to foster his physical growth. He has a firm belief in Misha's intellectual capabilities and diligently nurtures them.

This father states that despite being depicted as a hero in the media, he is simply an ordinary individual striving to raise awareness for children with Down syndrome. He asserts that spending time with his son, even in solitude, is an ordinary act for any man. He extends his support and expresses his wish to encourage other parents in similar circumstances to be fearless, reassuring them that 

"everything will be alright."