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Kids featured in NYC Times Square video

Buddy Walk celebrates people with Down syndrome.

People will gather next Sunday, Oct. 22, at World's Fair Park for Buddy Walk Knoxville. It's a public celebration of people with Down syndrome.

They're getting a lot of recognition! Some East Tennesseans enjoyed a moment of fame in the Big Apple.

Seven children and teens from Knoxville were featured in a video in Times Square to promote Down syndrome awareness. Some of our local families made the trip last month to the Big Apple.

"It was fun because we got to go as a whole family. But then we got to see everyone else who was there from other countries but just all of us together bringing awareness," Trieu Schwartz said.

Every year, the National Down Syndrome Society creates an hour long video featuring the faces of people with Down syndrome. It airs on the jumbo screen to kick off Buddy Walk in New York City.

"It was just so neat seeing her on the big screen and being there with the other 400 people that were also in that video," Karah Loveland said. "It was just a neat family time with people we didn't really know. But it was just really neat."

Some parents found out their baby's diagnosis before birth. For others, it was a surprise. But for all of them, they processed it, and then accepted it, and now celebrate it.

"All of our friends at first were like 'Oh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.' But my sister's reaction was congratulations. And that's been the best answer we ever could have gotten was congratulations and it has been a blessing ever since," Loveland said.

"It's always scary when you don't know," Schwartz said. "But then once you get educated and you meet other people that have children with Down syndrome, it's like we hit the jackpot, really. She's amazing."

Those amazing kids will be at World's Fair Park Sunday, Oct. 22 from 1 to 4 p.m. for Buddy Walk Knoxville.

Buddy Walk is an annual fundraiser for the Down Syndrome Awareness Group of East Tennessee.

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