Levi Koudela of Louise will appear in the bright lights of Times Square on Saturday, September 6, as part of the annual National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) Times Square Video Presentation.
The one-hour video of 500+ photographs includes children, teens, and adults with Down syndrome from all 50 states and 11 countries. These collective images highlight individuals with Down syndrome in the most visible way – on two screens in the heart of Times Square.
Accompanying Levi to New York will be his mother, Taylor, his grandmother, and a friend of Taylor’s.
“I’ve been to New York once, but I’m excited to show my mom and my friend around a bit. We’re trying to squeeze a trip out of it,” Taylor said.
The group will have the exciting opportunity to stay in a hotel right on Times Square.
“In May I submitted the picture, and he was selected on July the fourth. I remember I was at a July 4 party and I was calling and booking the hotel immediately in order to stay near others who I’ve met online, but not in person,” Taylor said. “Social media has been a big blessing for this process. It’s not what we expected, but it’s here and it’s beautiful.”
Taylor follows NDSS on social media, and learned she could submit a photo of Levi. His photo was selected from more than 2,600 entries in the NDSS worldwide call for photos. His photo will be shown on two Jumbotron screens, thanks to the support of ClearChannel Outdoor. The two screens are above the Dos Caminos restaurant in Father Duffy Square.
The presentation will be live-streamed on the NDSS Facebook page from 9:3010:30am ET on Saturday, September 6.
Levi, who just turned one on August 4, is the son of Taylor and Clay Koudela. “We are both passionate about celebrating the gift of Down syndrome and hope to shed light on the beauty of ALL humans, regardless of their abilities, with any and everyone — but especially our local communities,” Taylor said.
