Despite having Down Syndrome, Christian Bowers enjoys typical activities such as playing video games and going bowling.
However, after finishing school, maintaining a social life became challenging for the 24-year-old, as it often is for people without Down Syndrome.
Bowers’ mother, Donna Herter, observed her son becoming increasingly despondent as he lacked friends who would visit him.
Donna Herter, who works as a nurse during the night shift, posted a message on Facebook, seeking local individuals near Rochester, Minnesota, who would be interested in spending two hours hanging out with Christian, for which she was willing to pay $80.
She made the post at 4:00 AM before ending her workday and retiring to bed. By the time she woke up, the post had amassed 5,000 comments, causing her to become anxious and overwhelmed.
She was only looking for a few local guys to spend time with her son and didn’t want to invite everyone into their home.
Her friends advised her to take a closer look at the comments, where she discovered parents suggesting solutions and others volunteering to help.
After some searching, Herter managed to find a group of 7 individuals from Wentzville, Minnesota, who now visit Christian on a rotating schedule once a week. As a result, her son goes to bed with a smile on his face and is enthusiastic about his life and future.
Friendships are crucial for individuals with Down Syndrome, and organizations advise parents to prepare for the possibility of their child leaving school and requiring a more deliberate approach to socializing.
While Christian sometimes participates in gatherings and groups with other individuals with special needs around his age, he also yearns for friendships with the general population.
Herter speculated that spending time with individuals who do not have Down Syndrome makes Christian feel more like a regular person, even if it’s just for a brief period. ‘Hey, somebody who doesn’t have Down syndrome wants to hang out with me,’ she assumes he might think.
One of the friends, James Hasting, expressed remorse that Herter had resorted to offering payment to get people to spend time with her son. Hasting, who volunteers with special needs individuals, stated that spending time with Christian, whether it’s watching a movie or playing video games, has transformed his perception of the world.