Why the father of this bride is especially proud on the wedding day

"I do not know what the odds are that a woman born with Down syndrome can marry the love of her life, I just know that you showed it to everyone."

These touching words were written by American Paul Daugherty to his daughter Jillian in an open letter to the wedding. The children's wedding day is always something special for parents, but for Paul it is even more than that. Because Jillian was born with Down syndrome and therefore had a different start in life than children without this gene change.

But the two have never focused on the disadvantages, but appreciated the benefits. And it was important to Paul Daugherty that Jillian is not worse off than other children. She went to a normal school and university, attended sports courses and became involved.

But he could not relieve her of all worries in the course of life. Jillian had to learn that not all children like her the way she was. There was a phrase that hit him particularly when Jillian was twelve years old: "I have no friends."

In the end, it was her cordial nature that led her to the right people: "You are the nicest person I know, someone who is capable of living a life of empathy and sympathy, with no set ideas or bad suspicions - a person that everyone would like to know. "

With her husband Ryan, Jillian has been together for ten years, and Paul Daugherty is certain that this volume is special too: "I do not need you to wish a life of friendship and mutual respect, because after a decade together, you have long done. "

The sportswriter has already written a book about life with his daughter and wants to encourage other parents who also have children with disabilities.