Evgeny Anisimov was just a young husband at 33 trying to roll with the difficulties of marriage.
Most couples don’t agree on everything, but major problems can cause rifts. After the birth of Misha, his son, Anisimov faced one of those rifts.
His wife had their baby and it was an extremely happy moment until they heard some unfortunate news.
Their young son had down syndrome, and both parents felt the world collapsing on them. Evgeny was hurt by the diagnosis, but eventually mustered up the courage to be the best father that he could be.
His wife, however, wanted to give the child to foster care, because of the difficulties and financial troubles that would plague the family. Evgeny didn’t see the situation in the same light.
He actually used the word “inhumane” to describe it. He was not shy about his feelings.
At the end of the day, Misha was Evgeny’s son, and he knew that the child deserved to be happy and have a family. The father didn’t expect anything out of this decision.
He was just doing what he thought a good father should do.
The initial news might have hit him hard, but that doesn’t change the facts. Evgeny didn’t think of the baby as a boy with Down Syndrome. Misha was his son.
A diagnosis like this can be extremely difficult for families, and parenting is not an easy task.
First of all, Evgeny needed to figure out exactly what his son was dealing with, in order to know how to care for the child as he grew.
There is no cure for Down Syndrome and it is caused by an abnormalcy in the chromosomes. The best thing you can do for someone with Down Syndrome is care for them every day.
As a society, we should be exceptionally supportive and accepting to people that have learning difficulties, disabilities, or genetic disorders.
After all, Misha cannot say what he wants. His dad has to talk for him.
Showing his true colors, Evgeny actually took the opportunity to spread awareness with children that have Down Syndrome.
He gets many opportunities to help people learn about the disease and he doesn’t do it for likes or clicks. He does it because he is a genuine person, and he wants to help.
Parents struggle with these situations, and Evgeny knows what they are going through. He feels that he has an obligation to them.
Misha feels happiness and love like everyone else, no matter his genes.
“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!” – Evgeny commented in a Boredpanda article
With Misha’s condition, he probably has no clue of his differences. He knows his dad loves him, and that life is good.
Evgeny cried sad tears when he first heard the diagnosis, now, he’s changing the world.
The father quickly got himself situated, came to his senses, and remembered that at the end of the day, this was family and it was every father’s mission to love their families.
Disorders and genetic diseases are a risk every time a family has children. Evgeny knew this was a possibility when he decided to become a father.
One of the most freeing things for the man was how much he educated himself on Down Syndrome. The more he learned, the more he realized how little he had to worry.
In European countries, many people suffering from Down Syndrome are in society just like their peers. It might be difficult, but many children make that leap to adulthood.
They can live in happiness and joy, and everything else is just icing on the cake.
“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.”
In case you were wondering, Down Syndrome affects around 1 in every 1,000 children, and mental impairment is the most common effect. But that doesn’t mean you can’t live with the impairment.
But there is a stigma behind it.
If you want to help the world be a better place, you can start right where Evgeny did. Educate yourself on what these children deal with, and learn how you can share that information to others.
Let’s get rid of this stigma together, and eventually, all the children can smile as brightly as baby Misha, no matter the circumstances!
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