Once ‘Furious’ About Having Son with Down Syndrome, Today She ‘Can’t Imagine’ Life Without Him

By Sarah Terzo
Live Action News

Sherrill Rechner’s baby was born with Down syndrome, but she did not find out until he was born. When she discovered he had Down syndrome shortly after his birth, she was furious with the doctors and geneticist. 

The geneticist had previously told her that her baby seemed normal, and there was no need for an amniocentesis to rule out Down syndrome. Therefore, the disability had remained undetected. Rechner was angry she hadn’t been able to have an abortion. She wrote:

The geneticist calls. No, I don’t want to speak to her. I am furious with her, with all the doctors who caused this mess. They signed a paper saying my AFP results were normal. The perinatologist told us it was just his heart that had a problem, and that we didn’t need an amnio done.

You didn’t give me any options. I want to scream. Now you can’t make it better and you can’t make it go away.

Read: Campaign shows faces of kids with Down syndrome to end discrimination

If she had been able to have an abortion, it likely would have been a dilation and evacuation, or D&E, as she would have had the amniocentesis — and abortion — in her second trimester. This is a particularly violent and horrific procedure, as former abortionist Dr. Anthony Levatino explains:

Even though she initially was very angry that she had been unable to abort her son, a baby is hard to hate. She slowly opened her heart to her son, and came to love him very much. Two months after her comments above, she wrote the following:

My son is nestled comfortably in my arms. He is watching me as I watch him. I can’t imagine not having him here with me. Tears come at the very thought; my heart feels like it will explode… He will never understand the impact he has made on us. He will only feel comfort and love. He reaches for my face and a tear runs down his finger. These are tears of love for you. I need you to know that, my dear.

The geneticist saved his life – I realize that now. She had eased my fears about my risk factor for down syndrome. She led me to believe an amnio wasn’t necessary. She saved his life. I must let her know how these events have changed me. I may never have known this life, his life.

Thank you.

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Australian Couple Abandons Surrogate Twin with Down Syndrome, Keeps Healthy Sister

By John Jalsevac
Life Site News

Strangers around the world are rallying around a Thai woman who has vowed to take care of the newborn boy she carried as a surrogate mother, after she says he was abandoned by his biological parents when he was diagnosed with Down syndrome.

According to the surrogate mother the now seven-months-old baby, Gammy, was only born alive after she refused the Australian biological parents’ request that she abort him late in the pregnancy.

Meanwhile the unidentified Australian couple have reportedly taken the boy’s twin sister, who was born healthy, back with them to their home country.

“I felt sorry for the boy,” Pattharamon Janbua, the surrogate mother, told ABCNews. “This is the adults’ fault. Why does he have to endure this when it’s not his fault?”

“I don’t know what to do. I chose to have him, not to hurt him. I love him.”

The Australian couple reportedly paid Ms. Pattharamon, 21, the equivalent of about $12,000 to act as surrogate. She accepted the offer, she says, because she needed the money to pay off debts, and in hopes that she could afford to educate her other two children - a six-year-old and a three-year-old.

However, like many babies with Down syndrome, the boy – named Gammy - has suffered from health complications, including a congenital health condition. He was hospitalized over the past weekend.Meanwhile Ms. Pattharamon has been left footing the medical bills.

But after her story captured headlines around the world in the past week, thousands of strangers have stepped forward and contributed to a “Hope for Gammy” fund, raising over $200,000 that will be used to take care of the boy.

Life Site News story continues