A 19-month-old boy from Indianapolis is about to have his face beamed onto a Times Square Jumbotron in front of millions of people. Levi Post was selected by the National Down Syndrome Society from more than 500 applicants to appear in the 2026 NYC Buddy Walk Times Square video presentation, a milestone his family says still feels surreal.
A Surprise Selection Among Hundreds
Levi's mother, Paige Crowder, said the family was surprised and excited when they learned he had been chosen, according to WISH-TV. Crowder runs the social media account Lucky Levi's Mom, where she shares Levi's milestones, personality and everyday experiences, and the account has become a source of encouragement for other families navigating similar experiences, the station reports. Levi's father, Jon Post, said the family initially faced uncertainty after Levi's diagnosis, a common thread among families who later find their way into the Down syndrome community.
The odds Levi beat are steeper than the Indianapolis total alone suggests. Each year the National Down Syndrome Society selects roughly 500 individuals from more than 2,700 global photo entries, representing children, teens and adults with Down syndrome from all 50 states and 12 countries, according to the Columbia Star. NDSS also favors new faces each year, with roughly 95% of selected honorees appearing in Times Square for the first time, a policy Hoodline reported on when covering a Las Vegas girl's selection for the same 2026 video.
What Families Will See on September 12
Levi's video will show at 8:30 a.m. in Father Duffy Square, on two massive Jumbotron screens above the Dos Caminos restaurant near 7th Avenue and West 47th Street, with the prime billboard space donated annually by Clear Channel Outdoor, per the same Columbia Star report. The full presentation runs an hour and serves as the ceremonial kickoff for the 31st annual NYC Buddy Walk, which follows immediately afterward at the Naumburg Bandshell in Central Park. Families unable to travel to New York can watch the presentation livestreamed globally on the National Down Syndrome Society's Facebook page from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. EDT on September 12.
Levi's family, who will attend their first Buddy Walk, hopes his appearance will challenge misconceptions about Down syndrome and encourage greater understanding and inclusion. Crowder said she hopes Levi's moment on the screen will show that children with Down syndrome are kids first, with their own personalities, interests and abilities. The family describes Levi as a happy child who enjoys playing, exploring and making people smile, calling the experience of raising him a journey filled with joy and discovery.
A National Program With Local Roots
The Buddy Walk itself is the National Down Syndrome Society's signature public awareness program, bringing together families, advocates and supporters while raising awareness and promoting inclusion for people with Down syndrome. Created by NDSS in 1995, the program has grown into what the organization calls the world's premier Down syndrome advocacy and fundraising series, now encompassing more than 150 local and international events annually, according to a National Down Syndrome Society release.
NDSS was founded on June 20, 1979, by Betsy Goodwin and Arden Moulton after Goodwin's daughter Carson was born with Down syndrome in 1978 and the co-founders found a severe lack of public resources available to families like theirs. Down syndrome remains the most common chromosomal condition diagnosed in the United States, occurring in roughly 1 in every 640 to 775 live births, or about 5,000 to 5,700 infants each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency also notes that medical advances and improved healthcare access have pushed average life expectancy for people with Down syndrome in the U.S. from just 10 years in 1960 to nearly 47 years by 2007.
Central Indiana families won't have to wait long for a local version of the celebration. Down Syndrome Indiana will host the 29th Annual Buddy Walk Indianapolis on Saturday, October 3, at Celebration Plaza at White River State Park, giving the Post family and others in the community a chance to mark the occasion closer to home.
