When Bobbi Wittkugle gave birth to her sweet boy, the doctors told her he wouldn’t get far in life. Despite feeling deeply upset and broken at the time, the Ohio mother vowed not to give up on her son. Years later, she realized she had made the right choice.
Joey Wittkugle of Struthers, Ohio, was extraordinary in many ways. HHe was born with Down syndrome, a genetic condition characterized by a distinct facial appearance and delays in intellectual, cognitive, and developmental abilities.
Bobbi Wittkugle, Joey’s mom, recalls the day she welcomed him into her life like it was yesterday. It was a day she’d never forget, when she was faced with a life-altering decision.
According to Bobbi from Struthers, Ohio, on the day she gave birth to her darling Joey, the physicians approached her without asking her name and informed her that she must confine him. He’ll never say anything. He’ll never walk again. He has no idea who she is.
Those painful words crushed the poor mother’s heart. However, the physicians were far from finished. Joey will survive to the age of 11, and that will be the end of it, they informed Bobbi.
While the doctor’s words upset the then-new mom, she admitted it was nothing new at the time. Bobbi recalls that it was hard for individuals to embrace and welcome newborns with Down syndrome or other genetic abnormalities back then.
When Bobbi watched the parade go by, her eyes welled with tears.
In a 2020 interview, Bobbi stated that 62 years ago, no one understood about kids with Down syndrome since they were rarely seen walking in public.
For some time, the Ohio woman struggled with what to do. But she said she knew how to proceed after her conversation with a priest who told her:
“Bobbi, you were gifted by God, you were chosen by God to have this child. You can’t turn your back on him.”
The woman stated that the priest assisted her in realizing that Joey was one-of-a-kind and needed to be cherished and valued. Bobbi gradually realized the actual meaning of her darling boy’s advent in her life.
On June 29, 2020, Joey turned 62, overcoming the odds and showing his naysayers wrong. To ring in the special occasion, his family organized a birthday parade on June 28 at the Fifth Street Plaza in Struthers, near Save A Lot.
Bobbi, then almost 90, said she organized the march to prove to people that kids like Joey are special and need additional love and attention. In her words, “When you see one of our children, don’t turn your back at them like they did years ago. They are human, they are special from God and please learn to love them as much as they love you.”
Joey’s birthday parade turned out to be a grand affair, filled with love, emotions, and triumph. Almost 100 automobiles, trucks, motorbikes, and first responders passed by to wish Struthers a happy birthday, and he was beaming.
Even the mayor of Struthers followed a police car. As Bobbi watched the parade go by, her eyes welled with tears. She was overcome with emotions upon seeing how many people turned up to support her son. She insisted that she wishes individuals to know now that if one has this child and their family wants to do anything like this, don’t say no.
Joey’s facial expressions showed how much he loved his family’s surprise. His mother sat next to him and was seen laying a sweet kiss on his cheek before saying, “I love you.”
Those three magnificent words summed a mother’s undying love for her adored kid, who had altered her life for the better.
