MLB’s Jake and Ashlyn Burger Open Up About Elevating Child with Down Syndrome (Unique)

When Jake and Ashlyn Burger realized that their daughter was going to be born with Down syndrome, there was no hesitation about embracing her wholeheartedly. To them, she was simply their Penelope.

“It has been so particular. I do not even know the suitable phrases to explain it,” Ashlyn tells PEOPLE of turning into a mother or father to her child daughter Penelope. “I believe we each in all probability really feel like we have been actually honored with this job, that we had been chosen for this.”

Ashlyn and Jake, who’s a 3rd and first baseman for the Texas Rangers, realized that Penelope, who was born on Oct. 25, 2024, had Down syndrome earlier than she was born and have since chosen to go public along with her analysis — partially, as Ashlyn describes, due to her MLB participant husband’s platform.

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“We selected to be public about it as a result of we had been actually pleased with our analysis, and we needed to share our story, and share it on such a public stage as a result of we wish individuals that do not stay their life on a public stage to even be pleased with their youngster,” the proud mother of two says.

“After they get that analysis, it is actually daunting. It is scary,” she provides. “And so I really feel like we have simply been actually honored and humbled that we had been the chosen ones. And so I believe it is actually, it was no coincidence that God selected us to be that consultant, and so they gave us the platform of Jake’s capability to play baseball for it.”

Issues have been “very easy” for the household because the couple has settled into their newly minted household of 4. Their older son Brooks, 2, loves his little sister and has already began appearing like her protector — even when it is simply Jake and Ashlyn.

“He is obsessed along with her,” Ashlyn says. “And he will get upset if anybody holds her that is not me or Jake. He’ll additionally inform us once we’re allowed to carry her and when he’s going to carry her. We all the time must ask him permission if it is okay if we take her someplace or if we maintain her.”

“He desires to do all the things along with her and ensure she is all the time proper there subsequent to him when he’s enjoying with no matter toy,” she continues. “So I believe simply him being so candy to her made it a very easy transition. And he or she’s a extremely nice child, too.”

After all, it hasn’t all been straightforward. Ashlyn says there have been challenges as she’s launched Penelope to the world round her.

“The proper instance is, I went to the grocery retailer. And somebody who was standing subsequent to me dropped one thing and was like, ‘Oh, that is so retarded,’ ” she remembers. “And so they did not know, clearly, that I used to be standing proper subsequent to them and that my little child has Down syndrome.”

Though she knew it wasn’t directed at her or Penelope, Ashlyn recollects having an emotional response to the scenario “as a result of this individual was utilizing this phrase to explain one thing that was damaged, dumb, wasn’t working proper.”

“And that is not who my daughter is,” affirms Ashlyn. “That is not who anybody with Down syndrome is. They don’t seem to be damaged, they don’t seem to be dumb, they don’t seem to be any of these issues.”

Ashlyn goes on to say that whereas she’s all the time heard to not use that phrase, it clicked in a extra emotional manner for her after she’d welcomed Penelope. “I simply stored pondering of a bit of woman or a bit of boy being like, ‘Properly, mommy, why are they utilizing that phrase once they did one thing dangerous? I am not dangerous.'”

“So I believe that these moments have been completely the toughest factor to date that I wasn’t anticipating to have,” she says. “And I am very pleased with who she is. And I would like her to develop as much as be very pleased with who she is.”

Now, Jake and Ashlyn are taking all of the love and pleasure they really feel in direction of their daughter and directing a few of it in direction of their new challenge, The Berger Household Basis, which goals to financially assist households with kids and adults with disabilities.

“I believe we knew once we received her analysis that it was going to be our goal with our life,” Ashlyn says. “And that we had been going to have that chance, given what Jake does, to actually contact loads of stay and assist lots of people.”

One part of the inspiration, Pen’s Pearls, will straight assist these households in want of help, whereas one other will concentrate on occupational remedy. The couple hopes to construct a ranch simply exterior of Nashville the place they will provide free practices for individuals and children with disabilities and also will make use of adults with disabilities.

For now, the household resides their “dream come true” after Jake was traded to the Texas Rangers. Though Jake has been at spring coaching, Ashlyn and the children are planning to affix him out in Texas quickly.

“It is in all probability one of many few groups that we have all the time talked about that will be our ideally suited crew to play for,” Ashlyn says of the Rangers. “And so they have been simply extraordinary about our plans with what we need to do, with supporting us with our basis, after which supporting us personally with Penelope, too.”

As Jake gears as much as be part of the crew this season, he additionally made a really particular resolution in selecting the quantity 21 for his jersey.

“Often while you swap groups, it’s a must to decide a quantity,” Ashlyn explains. “And the participant who had 21 when Jake advised him why he needed to be 21, he was actually candy about giving Jake his new quantity. And so Jake selected to as a result of he actually needed to have the ability to symbolize this neighborhood on such a giant stage.”

Trisomy 21 is the official identify of the genetic situation extra generally often known as Down syndrome.

“He needed the households which have kids or a member of the family with Down syndrome to see that quantity and know that they are represented,” Ashlyn says. “After which he additionally needed all of those that have Down syndrome to know that he is carrying that quantity as a result of he is actually pleased with his daughter and who she is and who they’re. He needed to have the ability to symbolize that total neighborhood.”

Though they have not but been capable of see their dad’s new quantity in motion, Ashlyn says the children are already rooting for Jake in any manner they will.

“The crew made him and Penelope little jerseys again for once we had been there in FanFest once we did the formal announcement,” Ashlyn says. “They’re so cute.”