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Family Interview
Family Interview
Lindsey Harding
Special Education 312
Dr. Finn
October 17, 2015

Family Interview
Family Interview
As I prepared for this interview, I was unsure of what to expect. I have had
limited expose to people with Down syndrome and was unsure if this would be a

sensitive topic for the family member. When I asked the sister if I could sit down and talk
to her about her brother, she was immediately thrilled and stated that it is one of her
favorite things to do. When we met, we sat at a coffee shop and the conversation and
questions flowered naturally. For the sake of this paper, I am going to call the sister
Mallory and her brother with Down syndrome, Mark.
Mallory started from the beginning of her brother Marks journey. They are two
and a half years apart, so they hold a very special bond being that close in age. She began
by telling me about the time that her parents found out at a check up that their son was
going to have Down syndrome. The doctors were very negative and told her parents that
their son would be a vegetable for the rest of his life. The hospital even encouraged them
to get an abortion. The father was at work one day and a preacher came and encouraged
him with a verse, Matthew 17:20-21. It says, Truly I tell you, if you have faith as
small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, Move from here to there, and it
will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. When he went home from work his
sister was over and shared with him the same verse. They knew it was not a mistake.
They decided to keep the baby despite what the doctors said and named the baby Mark,
literally meaning gift of God. Mark was born and had open-heart surgery; this was the
beginning of his amazing journey that defeated statistics and labels that so many placed
on him.

Family Interview

Mallory was incredibly joyful as we talked. Before she even really began to tell
me what Mark meant to her and what it was like growing up together, I knew there was
something special. Mallory started off by saying that it is the biggest blessing being
Marks sister. Growing up, they were attached at the hip and they still are. She said
people often ask how it was growing up with a brother with Down syndrome as if it was a
negative thing. She had absolutely nothing negative to say about life with Mark other
than the way people label him. Being his older sister she said she was always protective
of him, but never sheltered him. She said that being his sister gave her motherly traits
because of her care for him.
Mallory is talented in singing and has been in concerts and pageants. Mark
performs with her sometimes and is always there as her number one fan. She said he is
especially good at the air guitar and that one time he slid and busted his knees open
because he got so into it. He didnt care at all and was so joyful about being able to be out
there and play. She even showed me a few videos of him rocking out. She said that
everyone loves him and that they are the greatest pair together.
Mallory shared with me that one of the biggest blessings of having him as a
brother is that she learns from him daily. She shared with me the power and impact of his
joy and child-like faith and his unconditional love for others, even strangers. She said
Mark has taught her not to judge a book by its cover through the way he treats others. He
doesnt see people in the judgmental way that we tend to see people. That really
resonated with me and made me think of the way I view others. It was evident that
Marks life touches Mallorys and many others in more ways than one.

Family Interview

As the interview progressed I became more and more intrigued because I have not
interacted much with people with Down syndrome. I asked if there were any disabilities
that Mark had because of Down syndrome. She said that she doesnt view Down
syndrome as a disability but a gift. She was very gracious, as I have not had much
experience in talking about this. She said that his main special need is that Mark is in his
late high school years and he cannot read. I learned that there are different severity levels
of Down syndrome and that Mark is at a very high level. He attends a public high school
and is very involved. He has specialized teachers in some areas, but other than that he is
just like every other high school student. He is the manager of the football and baseball
team and is always out on the field encouraging and praying for them. He is an incredible
friend to many, she said. His friends treat him no differently and Mallory said that they
are amazing.
Mallory said she loves to watch people watch him. She said he radiates joy and is
such a light for Christ. Like I said earlier, Mallory said he impacts people he doesnt even
know. He works for his father sometimes and Mallory says he is one of the best
communicators. Mark is gifted and his family and friends have fully embraced it. Mallory
showed me a PowerPoint slideshow titled Mark and Me with pictures of the two of
them on it. There was no doubt that Mallory loved Mark and that he was a tremendous
part of her story.
I was blessed by this opportunity to talk to Mallory. She was incredibly
encouraging and hearing her story really taught me a lot about Down syndrome. Her
story is touching and it is truly incredible to see a sister and family give so much love and
support to their gift of God, Mark.