Special to Atmore News
A man with local connections will have his picture in lights in the Big Apple later this month.
Wesley Dean from Mobile will be featured on the big screen in the heart of New York City as part of the national Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) annual Times Square Video presentation on September 14. The presentation kicks off Down Syndrome Awareness month on the morning of the NDSS Buddy Walk ® in New York City.
Wesley, 29, lives with his parents, David and Belinda Dean, in Mobile. He has one brother, Hunter, who resides in Hoover, Ala. He is the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Tom McDonald of Valley, Ala., and Voncile Bryan of Atmore.
Wesley and his parents are very active in The Coastal Alabama Down Syndrome Society in Mobile. They have participated 10 years in Buddy Walk®.
The family will travel to New York for the event.
Wesley loves to bowl, fish and hang out with friends. He always has a smile, handshake and hug for all. He is described as the family’s “social butterfly.”
He works at AltaPointe Health in Mobile.
Wesley’s photo was selected from more than 3,000 entries in the NDSS worldwide call for photos. Approximately 500 photos will appear in the Times Square video.
Every year, NDSS reminds the world in a big way about the gifts people with Down Syndrome bring to their communities through this special video presentation on a jumbo screen in the heart of Times Square. The featured photographs highlight children, teens and adults with Down Syndrome working, playing and learning alongside friends and family. These collective images promote acceptance and inclusion, which is the foundation of NDSS. The video presentation is a reminder of the contributions, accomplishments and value of people with Down syndrome.