Meet Gelli’s dad: 'Having a child with Down Syndrome is a beautiful experience'

“She’s got more followers than me. Her latest video netted somewhere around 8,000 views. And you know, a lot of people know me as Gelli’s dad,” shares Nino Aventajado, father of four and husband to Michelle. At first glance, theirs is a typical family of six who love to travel, watch movies and eat out. “We also like staying at home and spending time in the kitchen. We also love working out. We spend about five hours a day in the gym. We even run five kilometers a day as a family,” shares Aventajado.

Special gift

Their youngest, Gelli, came as a surprise. “We had been trying for our fourth child two years after Diego was born. The age gap between the two is actually six years, so we decided that it wasn’t in the cards.” A month after they gave away all their baby items, Michelle got pregnant. “It was going to be our last baby. The room was ready. Kids were ready. Everybody was ready.”

Gelli was born on August 21, 2011, and that’s the only time they were told she had Down syndrome. “I love Gelli from the moment I saw her. I didn’t see her disability. I didn’t even know what it is that she had, different looking eyes. I was actually more afraid, scared, and concerned, because when she came out, she was actually blue. She wasn’t getting enough oxygen. It took me aback, because the other three kids were all red. Full of oxygen. Yelling, crying, and screaming. Gelli was quiet. When the doctors and nurses saw that she had Down syndrome, she was quickly taken away from us. We were left to ourselves, looking at each other. What happened? It was very confusing.”

Staying strong

Amidst the challenges the family was up against, Nino led his family and prayed for guidance. It was a first for him not to be in control. “I had to take on a role of being the person who was more grounded because Michelle was having a tough time. It was difficult for me to see her that way because I knew how much pain she was going through. It was tough to see.”

It is integral for the man of the house to lead during these moments when life throws a curveball. For a time, he wasn’t grounded on what was happening. He had little information on how to raise a child with down syndrome. “It wasn’t until I met the wonderful people at the Down Syndrome Association of the Philippines (DSAPhi). We realized that having a child with Down Syndrome is actually a beautiful experience that people end up cherishing.”

Daddy’s girl

It’s been six years since Gelli came into the lives of the Aventajados. Precious bonding moments with their youngest includes going to the park and watching shows. Her favorite words? “Daddy, feed me,” or “Daddy, you make subo,” are Gelli’s requests to her daddy. They also wrestle a lot. The couple are champions of inclusion, and wishes to help more families by sharing their journey online. In fact, people have approached him and excitedly referred to him as Gelli’s dad. “In the six years that Gelli has been alive, she has been rewriting what’s possible for someone with Down syndrome,” says the proud dad. “The kind of joy that a child like Gelli brings to the family, the kind of awareness she brings, the type of tolerance she brings, the kind of understanding that she requires you to have — it really changes you.”

I love Gelli from the moment I saw her. I didn’t see her disability. I didn’t even know what it is that she had, different looking eyes.

— Nino Aventajado