Gerber named its 2018 Spokesbaby on Wednesday and aside from maintaining the long-standing tradition of being adorable, Lucas Warren is also making history for being the first spokesbaby with Down syndrome.
Lucas, a 1-year-old from Dalton, Georgia, beat out more than 140,000 other babies for the coveted yearlong title.
“This is such a proud moment for us as parents knowing that Lucas has a platform to spread joy, not only to those he interacts with every day, but to people all over the country,” said Lucas’ mom, Cortney Warren, according to a Gerber press release. “We hope this opportunity sheds light on the special needs community and educates people that with acceptance and support, individuals with special needs have the potential to change the world—just like our Lucas!”
During the announcement on Today, Lucas’ parents talked about what the honor means for Lucas.
“We’re hoping this will impact everyone—that it will shed a little bit of light on the special needs community and help more individuals with special needs be accepted and not limited,” Lucas’ father, Jason Warren, said. “They have the potential to change the world, just like everybody else.”
“He may have Down syndrome, but he’s always Lucas first,” Cortney said. “He’s got an awesome personality, and he goes through the milestones of every child. … We’re hoping when he grows up and looks back on this, he’ll be proud of himself and not ashamed of his disability.”
Meet the first Gerber baby with Down syndrome; his name is Lucas! https://t.co/RymRbTeVL9 pic.twitter.com/vYiRLYeHAX
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) February 7, 2018
The Warren family gets $50,000 in addition to having his photo all over Gerber’s social media for the year.
