Dominick Monillas is friendly and fun. He listens to Eminem, 50 Cent and Justin Bieber. He’s not shy about showing a visitor his sports awards or pictures of his girlfriend.
A 2010 graduate of Edmonds-Woodway High School, the 22-year-old is also a busy guy.
Three days a week, he works for Diversified Industrial Services, an aerospace manufacturer in Mukilteo. He volunteers on Mondays at the Edmonds Boys &Girls Club, and helps out at the Edmonds Senior Center and at his church, St. Luke Parish in Shoreline.
“We try to give him a rounded view of what the world is about. It’s about giving back,” said his mother, Adrienne Fraley-Monillas, who serves on the Edmonds City Council.
Her only child has Down syndrome. Monillas is described by his mom as being in some ways developmentally on par with a second-grader. “He reads a little, and writes a little bit,” she said.
On Sunday, Monillas will be walking to help raise awareness of Down syndrome and money for programs to assist people affected by the genetic condition.
They’ll participate in the Down Syndrome Association of Snohomish County’s first-ever Buddy Walk. The walk and other activities are scheduled for 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday at Harvey Field in Snohomish. Created by the National Down Syndrome Society, more than 250 Buddy Walk events are held annually. The national group recognizes October as Down Syndrome Awareness Month.
For Monillas, the walk will be a chance to see friends he knows from his many years in Special Olympics. Asked about his favorite sport, Monillas gives multiple answers: “basketball, soccer, baseball.”
It’s now bowling season. On Saturdays, Monillas bowls at Brunswick Majestic Lanes in Lynnwood with a Special Olympics Unified Sports team, which includes people with and without intellectual disabilities. Unified teams build friendships, Fraley-Monillas said.
On the job, too, her son is alongside people with different abilities. “Diversified is a company that employs people with disabilities and people without disabilities. It’s a fantastic company,” said Fraley-Monillas, adding that her son does assembly, packaging, sorting, shipping, “all kinds of stuff.”
As the mother of a 6-year-old with Down syndrome, Autumn Long is at a different stage of parenthood. Like Fraley-Monillas, she is passionate about opportunities for her child. Her daughter, Avary, is a first-grader at Totem Falls Elementary School. “She loves school,” Long said.
Avary, who has three older siblings, is involved in Glacier Peak Youth Cheer. “The best thing, the cheerleaders love her,” Long said.
Long, who lives near Snohomish, is vice president of the Down Syndrome Association of Snohomish County. Formed in 2011, the group serves more than 200 families and professionals, including doctors, teachers and therapists, she said.
“We’re really hoping to connect with families who have adults with Down syndrome. Their information is so valuable to those of us with younger kids,” Long said.
Registration for the Buddy Walk is free, but money from t-shirt sales and donations will support a Connections Program being launched by the local group. That program will aim to provide helpful information from the moment parents learn their baby has Down syndrome. About 6,000 babies with the syndrome are born in the United States each year, about one in 691 births, according to the National Down Syndrome Society.
Along with cognitive issues, there are health problems often associated with Down syndrome. Among them are heart defects, respiratory problems, early Alzheimer’s disease and thyroid issues.
Parents face challenges that don’t end when a child with Down syndrome reaches adulthood. Fraley-Monillas and her husband juggle schedules so their son isn’t home alone. “Day care is a huge issue for parents,” she said. “And we’ve got to think what would be best for his future.”
At home in Edmonds, Monillas gladly shared pictures of his happy life.
He carries his prom picture in his wallet. He had known his date since elementary school. He has been to Disneyland and Hawaii. Just a week ago, the family returned from Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, where Hurricane Odile made a mess of vacation plans. In a photo from that trip, Monillas is in the wind, his hair standing straight up.
Long said everyone is welcome at Sunday’s walk.
“Come out and enjoy the day, and see that our families are just like every other family,” she said.
Julie Muhlstein: 425-339-3460; jmuhlstein@heraldnet.com
Buddy Walk
The Down Syndrome Association of Snohomish County will host its first Buddy Walk from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday at Harvey Field, 9900 Airport Way, Snohomish. The walk starts at 2 p.m. There will be a bounce house, crafts and music from Voices of the Village. Registration free; t-shirts are $12 for adults or $8 for kids.
Down Syndrome Association of Snohomish County: http://dsasc.org/
National Down Syndrome Society: www.ndss.org/
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