Down Syndrome Goes Viral — Women of GraceWomen of Grace

By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist

A YouTube video of a teen with Down Syndrome scoring a triumphant touchdown for his high school team has attracted two million viewers and drawn new attention to the truth about this largely misunderstood condition.

Time Magazine is reporting that the parents of 17 year-old Ike Ditzenberger have already received a movie contract from a Hollywood production company to chronicle the story of their son whose Down Syndrome has never stopped him from anything – even from becoming a football star.

Kay and Steve Ditzenberger say they always tried to mainstream their son as much as possible throughout his life, which is why they asked the coach of Snohomish High School near Seattle to let their son play football several years ago.

The coach, a math teacher named Mark Perry, agreed. After poking Ike in the stomach, he said, “You can play for me for the next four years, but you’re going to have to lose some weight.”

After three years on the team, Ike knows all the drills and has never been treated any differently from other players. The team even named a play after him known as the “Ike Special.”

On September 24, Snohomish High was down 35-0 in a game against Lake Stevens High. Whenever a team is winning or losing by that much, they usually play their subs or less experienced players. On this particular night, Perry put Ike in the game and told the Lake Stevens players it would be great if they’d let him run 10 or 20 years before tackling him.

They agreed, but decided to take it a step further. With 10 seconds left in the game, the quarterback handed the ball to Ike who clutched it to his chest and took off. He ran downfield, weaving in between the players like a pro. While his own team provided a ring of protection around him, the opposing team remained true to their word and let him run – and run – and run.

Here and there, a Lake Stevens player would take a dive at him, only to come up short with Ike still on his feet and heading straight for the goal line.

He scored and the crowd went crazy, leaping to their feet and roaring in triumph as they watched Ike do a victory jig in the end zone.

“I’m not surprised by it at all,” Perry told Time about how the opposing team allowed Ike to have such a great moment. “But there are people all over the world who are. People have left us messages, saying what a touching thing.”

Having a player with a disability on the team has taught the players about humanity, he said. It has helped Ike, but it has helped his teammates even more.

“In your lifetime,” Perry has told them, “you may be the father of a special-needs kid.”

Kay Ditzenberger says it wasn’t always this good for Ike. When he was born 17 years ago, she asked the family pediatrician what to do with him. His advice was to take him home and treat him like the other boys.

At least she gave him life. Today, prenatal testing has resulted in the destruction of more than 90 percent of babies with Down Syndrome, even though the condition varies in severity and modern treatments have greatly improved their quality and longevity of life.

The stigma remains, and Ike has definitely confronted it on occasion. Once, when he tried to join a soccer team, parents insisted he be tested because they were afraid he might hurt their children.

“You can push a child with special needs into an environment,” Mrs. Ditzenberger told Time, “but whether they will be included and accepted is the question.”

Coach Perry says Ike can be handful at times, “but he just dropped off a 5 x 7 framed picture of his touchdown run that says, I love you, Coach. He keeps me well-grounded.”

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