A man whose partner wished to give away their son after he was born with Down’s Syndrome has spoken of how he took over as his sole carer, deciding to raise the child himself.
Evgeny Anisimov was devastated when he learned that his newborn son Misha had Down’s Syndrome. However, he was shocked when his partner wished to give him over to foster care. In an interview with Bored Panda, Evgeny spoke of how he has decided to raise his son and fight against the prejudices of society.
The 33-year-old said:
“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.”
He took inspiration from stories he read online about how people with Down’s Syndrome are cared for in Europe and how they play a full part in society, saying:
“I learned that in Europe, people with Down Syndrome are well-socialized, can live and work independently. But the decision I had already made was not influenced by that.”
He also said that while he did not condone his partner’s actions he understood her apprehension, saying:
“Now I understand that she was just scared at the time, she started to act according to the wrong scenario, and by then, the rubicon was already crossed and it was too late to retreat from the scenario.”
Adding he hopes he will be an inspiration to others. He said:
“I understand that the future might bring more issues, but I hope that we will be able to overcome everything. I want all the articles about Mishka and me that are being published now to convey that idea to society and instill it. And I also want to support, inspire with my example those people who are or will be in the same situation as me. I try to communicate with those who are within reach, I correspond with those who are far away. I hope that those who have difficulties now, as it was for us, read about us. Have no fear! Everything will be fine!”
[Based on reporting by: Positive Outlooks]
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