The song “10,000 Hours” by Dan + Shay and Justin Bieber has likely never been performed as sweetly as it was by 6-year-old Rayce from Arkansas.
This young performer used the well-known song to comfort his younger brother, Tripp, who was born with Down syndrome. Nicole Powell, their dedicated mother, captured the heartwarming moment on her phone and shared it on Facebook in January 2020, where it quickly went viral.
Tripp was just six weeks old and had recently returned from the intensive care unit when the video was filmed, according to Good Morning America. His family, particularly Rayce, who visited Tripp every day after school and told him about his daily activities, showed him constant love throughout his hospital stay.
Powell explained that their bond was strong from the beginning, with Rayce immediately wanting to hold his newborn brother. Every day after school, Rayce would talk to Tripp, sharing all the details of his day. Whenever the hit song played, Rayce would tell Tripp it was for him.
The heartfelt lyrics about spending 10,000 hours getting to know someone perfectly encapsulate Rayce and Tripp’s special relationship, which is sure to endure into adulthood. When Powell recorded Rayce singing the song, she decided to share it online to raise awareness about Down syndrome. Alongside the video, Powell worked to de-stigmatize Down syndrome, reminding everyone that love doesn’t count chromosomes. She quoted Rayce, who said, “Aren’t we all different?”
Powell recalled being terrified when she first learned of Tripp’s diagnosis during her pregnancy. However, all her fears vanished when she heard Tripp cry for the first time after he was born. In a follow-up post on December 30, 2020, Powell urged expectant mothers not to be afraid of a Down syndrome diagnosis:
“To any expecting mother who receives the news that your unborn baby has Down syndrome, do not be scared like I was. That baby will be such a gift to your family in so many ways, and I promise his or her siblings will love them like no other!”
On Tripp’s birthday last November, Powell took to Facebook to share her experience with his birth. She recounted how she was on her way to a routine doctor’s appointment when she sensed something was wrong.
Her suspicions were confirmed when the doctor, after an urgent examination, informed her that Tripp needed to be delivered immediately by C-section due to a dangerously low pulse rate. Powell described the experience as terrifying but was overjoyed to hear Tripp’s cry at 10:55 a.m., knowing he was okay.
Down syndrome is one of the most common genetic disorders globally. According to 2010 research by the Department of Pediatrics in the Netherlands, one in every 1,000 newborns worldwide has Down syndrome. The National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) states that in the United States, one in every 700 newborns has Down syndrome. While the exact cause of this genetic disorder is unknown, it is not typically hereditary. Almost all babies with Down syndrome are born to parents with a normal number of chromosomes, with only 1% of cases inherited from a parent.
The likelihood of having a child with Down syndrome increases with the age of the expectant mother. According to the NDSS, a 35-year-old woman has a 1 in 350 chance of having a child with Down syndrome, which rises to 1 in 100 by age 40 and to 1 in 10 by age 49. As more couples choose to have children later in life, the number of Down syndrome cases has increased, and early, non-invasive screening options have become more available.
Although there is no cure for Down syndrome, it is a manageable condition. It causes physical and mental developmental delays, leading to slower growth compared to a typically developing child. Each case of Down syndrome is unique, resulting in a wide range of possible symptoms and developmental stages.
Generally, caring for and educating children with trisomy 21 requires more time, but it is highly achievable and rewarding. In the United States, 40% of children with Down syndrome who attend high school graduate or continue their education. Many go on to secure permanent employment and live independently, although most still require some financial support.