Even though we've come a long way as a society when it comes to de-stigmatising those with disabilities, there are still major obstacles that those with them have to overcome to be accepted as equal.
20-year-old Blake Pyron, for example, was born with Down Syndrome. But on May 7, he will open his very own snow cone shack in Sanger, Texas. It makes him the youngest business owner in Sanger and the only one with Down Syndrome.
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Prior to this big achievement, Blake worked at a barbecue restaurant until it was unfortunately shut down a month following his high school graduation.
Blake's mum tried to help her son find a job as a result but found the vacancies going in their hometown were limited. Failing that, the family decided to ponder Blake's choices. In the end, it was his love of snow cones that settled it.
His brother assisted in creating unique flavours like "Hulk" and "Shark Attack", while the rest hired a 15-year-old family friend as an employee.
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"You don't know us. You don't know our child, so don't label him. We haven't, and he turned out great," his mother said.
The timing of the opening - just before mother's day in America - is not coincidental. Blake wanted the mums in the Sanger community to join in on the celebrations.
His own mum hopes to inspire other children with special needs to follow suit and break away from the restrictions put on them.
Here's to that.
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Words by Josh Teal
Feature image credit: Rebooti
Topics: Business, Down's Syndrome