Boy stars in New YorkTimes Square Down’s syndrome display

The parents of a three-year-old boy have described the moment a photo of him was shown on a giant screen in Times Square, New York.

Ethan, from Nottinghamshire, who has Down’s syndrome, was one of 500 people chosen to form part of a slideshow event following a worldwide appeal.

His parents then rushed to book a trip to the city in the United States to watch the moment unfold.

Ethan’s mum, Penny, said: “It was quite emotional really. Proud as punch.”

Every year, the National Down’s Syndrome Society puts on an hour-long presentation in the heart of Times Square on a giant screen, also known as a jumbotron, to celebrate people with the genetic condition.

Penny said: “I think they [had] 2,600 entries worldwide and Ethan got picked for one of the 500.”

Ethan’s dad, Neil, said “panic then set in” as they tried to work out how to make the trip.

Penny said: “None of us had passports, so we got four passports, flights, the hotel and obviously it’s such a massive city, [we had] no idea where to start or how to get there, but we made it work.

“People plan for this for years… it was just like hours Googling.”

Another family, there to see their child on the screen, agreed to capture the moment Ethan popped up on the large screen.

“The picture was behind us on the big screen and then we turned around and he saw himself and pointed at it and then turned around clapping and smiling and laughing at himself.”

Ethan’s parents hope the event raised the profile of people with Down’s syndrome.

“In America – and I know it’s private health insurance – but they start their care before they’re even born,” Penny said.

“A lot of people see the disability first and the child after.”

“Just see Ethan first. See the person, not the disability,” she added.

Neil said: “We just want people to take him as he is.”