Watching her baby fight for his life took its toll on Kim Williams. But ahead of World Down Syndrome Day, she tells us how her little boy has beaten the odds and has even become a model
WORLD DOWN SYNDROME DAY
Every time Kim Williams browses the Primark website for children’s clothes, she beams with delight when she spots the infectious smile of one little boy – her five-year-old son, Rio.
With his fun and bubbly personality, it might be hard to believe that Rio has faced more challenges than most in his short life. In addition to being diagnosed with Down syndrome at birth, Rio has dealt with numerous health issues, including a hole in his bowel, his windpipe being crushed by part of his heart and a neck instability.
But he’s never let his disabilities stop him from achieving great things, and his mum couldn’t be prouder. Kim, 38, who lives in Somerset with her husband Anthony, 42, and their sons Felix, seven, and Rio, says, “In the early days, it was very touch and go. Rio was constantly in and out of hospital, and it consumed our lives. On numerous occasions, we feared he wasn’t going to make it. So to see him thriving with his modelling feels incredible. After all the darkness we’ve been through, there’s light at the end of the tunnel.”
TERRIFIED
When Kim found out she was expecting, she and Anthony were excited to give Felix a younger sibling. Her pregnancy progressed smoothly, but a few hours after Rio was born in 2018, his breathing started to quicken. Doctors whisked him away, and before Kim knew it, her newborn baby was in an ambulance heading to Bristol Children’s Hospital for emergency surgery.
He had a hole in his bowel, which could have been fatal.
Kim recalls, “I was shocked and terrified. It was a lot to take in, especially when the doctor said he thought Rio might have Down syndrome. This was confirmed a few days later after he underwent genetic testing. It was a huge surprise to me, especially as my 12-week scan showed that the chances of him having Down syndrome were low risk. But in that moment it seemed insignificant compared to the fact he might die. I just wanted my baby to be OK.”
After weeks in hospital, Rio was finally allowed home, where his diagnosis began to sink in for Kim.
She admits, “I didn’t know much about his condition. I was unsure how it would affect him – if he’d be able to live a normal life or go to a mainstream school – so I worried about the future.”
And tragically, Rio’s health issues were far from over. At 10 weeks old, he stopped breathing, and Kim had to resuscitate her son using CPR training she’d learned from her 16 years as cabin crew.
Kim says, “I’d only e
