PORTLAND, TX — 5-year-old Wyatt Pyles loves to dance and enjoys time with his friends at East Cliff Elementary in Portland, Texas.
Wyatt was selected by the National Down Syndrome Society to be in a video that will be shown in Times Square.
His mother, Jennifer Pyles, spoke about the excitement she is feeling.
"I'm just real excited. I'll probably cry the entire time I'm up there," Jennifer Pyles said.
For five years, Jennifer Pyles has been submitting her son's photo to the society, and this year, he is part of the 500 individuals who will have their pictures shown on the big screen in New York City.
"It'll have their picture and their name. We will walk up to take a picture in front of our photo for the video, and then we will do the walk afterward," Pyles said.
The Buddy Walk will take place in Central Park after the video presentation at Times Square.
Pyles said she has been thankful for this opportunity and wants to help educate others on Down Syndrome.
"It's about awareness and inclusion, and the more people know, the less they're gonna be afraid of people with disabilities, and I feel like that is a huge part of it as a parent of a child with any kind of disability," Pyles said.
Pyles is glad Wyatt is learning in a classroom that incorporates those with and without disabilities. This helps her son know he is just like everyone else.
"I want him to look back and know his parents loved him, the community supported him. It takes a village, and I'm in my village here at school, and I want him to know we care for him and love him," added Pyles.
For more information and how to watch Wyatt, head to the website below.
