"This is the best thing that’s ever happened to you – you just don’t know it yet,” was the message we received from a friend upon Tucker’s birth. We hadn’t expected him to be born with a little “something extra,” but if we were privy to even a short preview of his future, we would have known not to worry. He lives life to the fullest, and it’s our privilege to be along for the ride. Tucker is the youngest of the three Emry boys, never ceasing to keep in steady step with his two older brothers. He is the heart of our family, and his bond with his siblings is unconditional love. Accompanying him on the many trips to therapists during his early years, they were a driving force in his speech, motor skill and social development. These days their interactions have advanced from imagination games and backyard badminton to advice about girls and whether or not to wear socks with his loafers. Tucker’s world is full of all the activities of a typical teenager. He attends The Harbour School in Maryland, where he has forged lasting friendships and discovered his interests (economics and broadcasting classes are his favorites). Always up for a party, he leads the charge at Young Life youth group events and his school’s social club gatherings and dances. He participates in Special Olympics sports and works out with a trainer. He volunteers with children’s programs at our Church and has completed several community work experiences, most recently as an aide in a preschool classroom. A member of his school’s Performing Arts Academy, he has appeared as Puck in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and the White Rabbit in “Alice in Wonderland,” among other roles. Every day, Tucker charms people with the twinkle in his eye and his unforgettable laugh. He is entirely himself and is determined to let his light shine. He talks about his upcoming “adult” life often, and his dreams for the future are clear – a college program, deepening friendships, meaningful employment, falling in love, and contributing to the community. Tucker is proud to champion Global Down Syndrome Foundation’s work to ensure that his future is one of mental and physical health and productivity. GLOBAL’s groundbreaking efforts pave the way for Tucker, and others with that magical extra chromosome, to share their vibrancy with the world.

In his 15th term representing Alabama’s fourth congressional district, Robert Aderholt is an advocate for fiscal responsibility, truth in budgeting and federal government operating within its means. Robert Aderholt is a strong supporter of his community, district and the state of Alabama. He believes the federal government serves an essential role in assisting state and local governments with economic development. From his position on the powerful House Appropriations Committee, Rep. Aderholt supports job creation, strong immigration standards and robust national security. He is the Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health & Human Services and Education, which is responsible for the largest non-defense portion of the entire federal budget. He is also a member of the Commerce, Justice and Science Subcommittee and the Defense Subcommittee. Rep. Aderholt also chairs the Values Action Team, a Congressional Member Organization in the House of Representatives focused on promoting families, communities and religious freedoms. Additionally, Rep. Aderholt is a member of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe. Commonly known as the Helenski Commission, the group was founded in 1976 and is comprised of 56 countries around the world working together to monitor human rights in Europe and Central Asia. Rep. Aderholt is a member of the U.S. Congressional Down Syndrome Caucus and continues to support the disabled community through his efforts to sustain and prolong the viability of our Social Security system. In January of 2023, Rep. Aderholt Cosponsored the Protecting Individuals with Down Syndrome Act, which would create legal protections for unborn children with Down syndrome.

Rep. Diana DeGette is a fourth-generation Coloradoan who has dedicated her life to serving the people of Colorado's First Congressional District. She is the ranking Democratic member of the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee which oversees the National Institutes of Health, the Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Medicaid and parts of the Medicare program. Rep. DeGette is one of the most influential health policy experts in Congress and her legislative accomplishments include bills advancing groundbreaking biomedical research, accelerating new medical technologies and care, and expanding coverage and access to health care. She is recognized for her work championing the 21st Century Cures Act, which has played an important role in helping to reduce the time it takes to turn a scientific discovery into new diagnostic tests, medical devices, therapies and cures for patients. This law has been widely hailed as one of the most important pieces of legislation that Congress has passed in recent years. She is also co-chair of the Congressional Diabetes Caucus, which was formed in 1996, and counts among her accomplishments in that role passage of legislation which lowered the cost of insulin for millions of Americans. Rep. DeGette actively promotes the rights and interests of those with Down syndrome. She serves on the Congressional Task Force on Down Syndrome and is the lead Democratic sponsor of the DeOndra Dixon INCLUDE Project Act.