Syndicated columnist Cal Thomas lost his brother a few days ago. By the world’s standards, this is no big deal. You see, Marshall Steven Thomas had Down Syndrome, a condition that is almost a guaranteed in utero death sentence. But Marshall was born and Marshall lived.
In a moving tribute from his brother, we see the value of each and every life.
How does one measure whether a life was a success, or a failure?
Some would measure it by recognition, that is, how many knew the person’s name. For others, the measure of a successful life would be the amount of wealth accumulated, or possessions held. Still others would say a life was successful if the person made a major contribution to society — in medicine, sports, politics, or the arts.
By that standard my brother, Marshall Stephen Thomas, who died January 5, was a failure. If, however, your standard for a successful life is how that life positively touched others, then my brother’s life was a resounding success.
Shortly after he was born in 1950, Marshall was diagnosed with Down syndrome. Some in the medical community referred to the intellectually disabled as “retarded” back then…
January 9, 2012 at 3:05 pm
Great article! Thanks!
Most of us don't realize babies with Down Syndrome (and many other disabilities)in much of the world are still given up at birth, placed in desperately poor orphanages where medical care is inadequate at best and malnourishment is the norm, and then transferred to adult mental institutions at the ripe old age of four, five, or six.
There is now a waiting list for American families trying to adopt babies with DS domestically, due to our 90+% abortion rate of babies even suspected of having DS. Meanwhile, thousands of children available for adoption wait overseas for their only chance at a decent life like Cal Thomas' brother and Roy and Dale's daughter. Why don't more Catholics consider giving a home to one of "the least of these"?
Servant of God, Jerome Lejeune, pray for us!
January 10, 2012 at 12:40 am
Wasn't it the…argh, the cowboy guy who had Trigger…he and his wife had a Down Syndrome girl, and they kept her, and went on a crusade to make it OK to keep your kid, no matter what? Never heard of the Kennedies doing the same, wish they'd given more detail.
January 10, 2012 at 12:44 am
Roy Rodgers and Dale Evans. There we go.