A 19-year-old girl with Down syndrome recently sang the national anthem at a Chicago White Sox game.
Now most people might be intimidated and worried to sing in front of thousands of people. But not Gigi Gianni. After singing the national anthem at the pro baseball game, she said in an interview, “I never get nervous.”
According to Fox32 Chicago, Gigi “struggles with low muscle tone, heart issues and speech impediments, but her mom said she learned the words more than a decade ago and has been practicing ever since.”
Following her performance, Gigi’s mom, Nancy Gianni, said, “I’m just going to thank God, because he’s given her this incredible platform to be able to show the world that people can do anything that they put their minds to and their dreams to and that, you know, a diagnosis isn’t going to stop her from making her dreams come true.”
Gigi is the namesake behind Gigi’s Playhouse Down Syndrome Achievement Centers, an organization started by Gigi’s mom, which offers therapeutic and career development for those with Down syndrome and helps the parents of children with Down syndrome.
Julie Taylor, Guest Services Director for the White Sox, said that Gigi now has her own fans.
“Gigi is like a rock star here, with fans coming to meet her and take pictures,” she said. “It’s great to have her here and for all the people she’s helped.”
Related resources:
Shining a Positive Light on Down Syndrome
Down Syndrome: What the Doctors Didn’t Tell Us
Raising a Child with Down Syndrome
Joyfully Embracing God’s Children (Part 1 of 2)
Photo from YouTube.
