A child is headed for the big screen — literally. The child is expected to appear in a Times Square video honoring people with Down syndrome, and the family is preparing for what they call a proud and surreal moment.
A Fox 8 report concerns the family's preparations for the honor. The National Down Syndrome Society will broadcast the video in Times Square in New York City on September 12, with the presentation livestreamed globally from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. EDT on the NDSS Facebook page, per the station's report. The video is tied to the Buddy Walk, the National Down Syndrome Society's annual event that aims to raise awareness and funding to benefit people with Down syndrome.
A Father's Changed Outlook
A Down syndrome diagnosis can reshape how a family sees its child's future rather than limiting it. Down syndrome often leads to developmental delays and intellectual challenges, but for families, the diagnosis can reshape how they see their child's future rather than limiting it.
The Times Square appearance carries a message about inclusion. A social media account associated with the family has about 31,512 followers, a platform the family hopes to use to spread the same message the Times Square appearance carries. The couple said they hope the moment in the spotlight will raise awareness for children with special needs, and the family called it a proud moment.
Times Square's Revolving Spotlight
Richard's photo will join hundreds of others in Father Duffy Square, where two Jumbotron screens above the Dos Caminos restaurant at 7th Avenue and West 47th Street display the annual video using billboard space donated by Clear Channel Outdoor, according to the National Down Syndrome Society. The organization selects roughly 500 people each year out of more than 2,700 global submissions, and it prioritizes new faces so that about 95% of those featured are appearing in Times Square for the first time. This year's presentation runs a full hour, from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time on September 12, and serves as the ceremonial kickoff for the 31st annual NYC Buddy Walk, which follows immediately afterward at Central Park's Naumburg Bandshell.
Richard isn't the only child with local ties to earn a spot in this year's lineup. Hoodline has also reported on an Indianapolis toddler named Levi chosen for the same 2026 video.
A Movement Rooted in New York
The Buddy Walk movement began in New York City when the National Down Syndrome Society created it in 1995, and it has since grown into more than 150 annual walks held across the United States and internationally. Locally, Buddy Walk events may also give families a chance to build on the momentum from the Times Square appearance.
Families in the Metairie area don't have to look far for support either. GiGi's Playhouse New Orleans, a Down syndrome achievement center at 1023 Ridgewood Drive, opened in late 2020 and offers free educational, therapeutic, and career development programs for individuals with Down syndrome from birth through adulthood, according to Biz New Orleans. EarlySteps serves children from birth through age 3. EarlySteps offers early-intervention services.
Decades of Progress, Still Unfolding
The Times Square appearance is part of broader efforts to raise awareness of Down syndrome. Down syndrome remains the most common chromosomal condition diagnosed in the United States, occurring in roughly 1 in every 640 to 700 live births — about 5,700 infants a year — according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Medical progress has also transformed what a Down syndrome diagnosis means for a family's future. Average life expectancy for Americans with Down syndrome has climbed from just 10 years in 1960, to 25 years in 1983, to approximately 60 years today, according to Emory University School of Medicine. Research into co-occurring conditions is part of broader Down syndrome research.
For the family, the photo's appearance on a Manhattan Jumbotron is only a small piece of a much longer story. But for the family, it's a chance to put their son's face — and their message about inclusion — in front of a national audience, even if just for a moment.
