What is it like to raise a child with Down syndrome? The A&E show "Born This Way" seeks to provide answers to that question, and one of its stars Sandra McElwee, who is the mother of Sean, shares the highs and lows of taking care of a special needs child.
Sandra says her son is a really funny person with big faith in God, so she considers him a true blessing. Sean often dreams big and prays about it every day, so his never-ending sunny disposition just blows away the whole family.
On the other hand, Sean faces extra hurdles in life because of his condition. "Sean has faced challenges when it comes to opportunities for jobs and things like that. He interviewed for a full year before he landed a job. Of course, with romance, he just wants a girlfriend whose parents will actually let them have a boyfriend," Sandra tells the Gospel Herald.
Sean had a couple of girlfriends in the past, and he was really in love with them. Sadly, Sandra says their parents did not believe that Sean would be able to move out and live independently from his parents, so they made their daughters break up with him.
As difficult as things might be for Sean, Sandra takes a cue from her son by putting her faith in God. "Sean truly believes that God is going to provide for him, and He does over and over again. We just sit back and watch," she says.
Even if the road ahead does not make sense for the McElwee family, they take comfort "just knowing that God has a bigger picture and that if things don't work out with each situation, person or job, God has a bigger plan, and He will always come through with a bigger plan, bigger than any of us could imagine."
