The Mountain Eagle
WHITESBURG WEATHER

Run to help find a cure for Down Syndrome





RUNNERS — Pictured below are the participants in the Letcher County 10 & 5 biathlon on Sept. 11 in downtown Whitesburg, Lavern Holbrook, Lindsey Hager, Shawn Wells, Barbi Mercer, Matt Mercer, Winston Lee, Ryan Sexton, Erik Arroz, Oliver Schaal, Jason Eksuzian, Sophia Narramore, Durward E. Narramore III, Cathy Narramore, Terri Thomas, Dawn Short, Misty Lee, Johnthan Sturgill, Ruby Sturgill, and Lori Sturgill.

RUNNERS — Pictured below are the participants in the Letcher County 10 & 5 biathlon on Sept. 11 in downtown Whitesburg, Lavern Holbrook, Lindsey Hager, Shawn Wells, Barbi Mercer, Matt Mercer, Winston Lee, Ryan Sexton, Erik Arroz, Oliver Schaal, Jason Eksuzian, Sophia Narramore, Durward E. Narramore III, Cathy Narramore, Terri Thomas, Dawn Short, Misty Lee, Johnthan Sturgill, Ruby Sturgill, and Lori Sturgill.

Four years ago my wife and I were blessed with one of the greatest gifts from God — Breyden Edward Narramore.

During our pregnancy with Breyden, my wife and I didn’t know just how special Breyden was. We knew that something was not the same as the pregnancy of our oldest daughter, Sophia Grace Narramore, but as most people of faith, we knew to leave all of our worries in the hands of God, and everything will work out as it should.

I remember going to see Dr. Barry Campbell at St. Jude East in Lexington, a pediatrician for at-risk pregnancies, for a checkup, and while there he told us that we needed to deliver as soon as possible. Little did we know, but he was meaning now.

While my wife was in the delivery room everything went great, and I remember the nurse coming into the room and saying, “You’re ready.”

The next thing I knew, we were holding a beautiful baby boy. The pediatrician came into the room and made his check and sat in a chair and he said, “Mom, I think you know, but, Dad, I don’t think you know.” And I remember saying, “What?”

He said, “Breyden has Down Syndrome.”

At first I thought this could not be, he looks so much like me and all the things that the doctor are showing me as signs, I have them as well.

I then looked at my wife and said to her, “I love you, this is okay. I now have a little buddy.”

We found out that Breyden had to have open-heart surgery, and through the grace of God and the help of Dr. Cotrell, a pediatric heart cardiologist at Central Baptist Hospital in Lexington and her staff , Breyden is doing great!

He is a student at West Whitesburg Pre-School. Breyden now has a new little sister, Bristol Olivia Narramore, and he is a great big brother.

I look into Breyden’s eyes and I see beauty, love, and I feel his dependence on me, and that makes me so proud.

I could not imagine life without him, and I would not go back and change anything.

The past few months I’ve wanted to do something to help other parents who have walked in similar paths that my family have walked in, so we started the Letcher Co. 10 & 5 biathlon to help raise money for Down Syndrome awareness, and I wanted to pledge our money to Down Syndrome Association of Central Kentucky.

After talking to Dr. Cotrell and Eileen Miot, and hearing all this organization does, I knew that this is the best organization to pledge the money.

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