SHANNON Pinkerton, 54, was sitting at her computer one evening when her youngest son Cody, then six, pointed at the screen.
“Can we adopt him?” he asked, eyes fixed on a boy with brown hair and hazel eyes. “He’s called Joey.”
The boy on the screen was 10, had Down Syndrome, and was looking for a family. While most kids beg for a puppy, Cody wanted a brother.
Shannon’s heart ached as she stared at Joey’s photo. She and husband, Troy Pinkerton, 56, were already raising four children of their own. The family had no idea that adopting Joey would spark their passion in helping give kids like him a home.
Over the next 15 years, Shannon and her hubby, from Wyoming, USA, adopted another five young men with Down Syndrome. Some had additional problems including nonverbal autism.
Although their adoption journey has had its challenges, Shannon says “everybody deserves a family.”
The stay-at-home mum says: “Being a mum to kids with additional needs isn’t always easy, but it’s always worth it. We couldn’t imagine life without them. We have given them a home forever. Our house is full of noise and activity, but I love it and couldn’t be prouder of my boys.”
No more kids!
When Shannon and her husband, Troy, a coal miner, gave birth to their son, Cody, 23, they believed it’d be their last child. They couldn’t wait to introduce him to his older siblings at home, Jordan, then 10, Troy, then SIX, and Hayley, then four. Shannon says: “I knew I was lucky to be a mum of four. Troy told me “no more”, but I’d always dreamed of having a really big family.
“When Cody was six his friend was autistic. He adored him and had the most fun with him. Years later, Cody started a new school and he missed him a lot. Then one night, I found Cody sitting at the computer, looking at the website of the National Down Syndrome Adoption Network.
“Most little boys ask to take in a dog, not a brother. But Troy and I exchanged looks, our heart ached for that little boy. We’d never talked about adoption but we knew Joey needed a home and love. We had those to spare.”
Later that week, in 2009, Shannon and Troy contacted the adoption agency. They were invited to meet Joey and his foster family. Months later, after lots of paperwork, Joey moved into the family home.
Shannon says: “Cody and the kids loved Joey. They were inseparable and it was like he’d always been with us.”
In 2011 Joey had been with the family for two years when the adoption centre got in touch to say they had another boy with Down syndrome needing a home.
By then, Shannon and Troy’s eldest had moved out. With a bedroom to spare, the family adopted Trace, 15.
Shannon says: “He was non-verbal and anxious, the opposite to easy-going Joey. It was harder getting him to adjust. But as time went on, we accepted Trace as he was. While they played games, Trace was happy to sit and watch, rocking one of his cuddly teddy bears.”
Two years passed, and in 2013, the family got a call from the adoption agency about a new boy, 15-year-old Anthony. Shannon and Troy opened their home once again, putting Anthony in a room with Joey.
Shannon says: “It wasn’t all happy families. It always took a while to adjust for everyone. That first week my wake-up call was Anthony, coming in to tell us that Joey had messed up the wardrobe or hadn’t brushed his teeth.
“It was chaos all the time. It could be stressful and take its toll. But it was all worth it because I loved our big, noisy family.”
Two more brothers
In 2017, the adoption agency told the family about another two brothers who wanted a home together. Julian was 14 and had Down syndrome and Cameron was 17 and had dwarfism, blindness and developmental delays.
She says: “Cameron and Julian had been through a tough life. It took them a lot longer to settle. It became really hard. Cameron had a challenging past. He panicked and said I was going to make him leave. I’d tell him I wasn’t. It’d break my heart seeing him struggle. I wanted him to realise he had a home forever with us.
“Eventually, Cameron started to trust us and realised that we were his family and this was his home.
“He would start cuddling up next to Hayley on the sofa, to watch Scooby-Doo. Julian preferred the Hulk. Things took time, it wasn’t easy. But I loved those kids so much I put everything into gaining their love and trust.”
The family would feel especially big when Shannon’s eldest, Jordan, would visit with her boyfriend Kody often. Shannon and Troy both agreed there was no room for anymore kids. Until one day in 2020, when the adoption agency called again.
What’s one more child?
Shannon says: “They had a child they were struggling to place and they sent me a photo of Devlin. He was 14 with these sad, hazel eyes. I held firm and said no. But a year later they called again and said Devlin hadn’t got a home still. I was devastated to hear it. Troy and I thought, what’s one more?
“Months later Devlin joined our home. He had the energy of five kids. He was very loud, especially doing impressions of Chewbacca from Star Wars. Yet we couldn’t imagine life without him.”
With a whopping six adopted children, Joey, 25, Devlin, 20, Julian, 24, Anthony, 27, and Trace, 29, and four biological kids, Jordan, 34, Troy, 30, Hayley, 28, and Cody, 24, the family now spend nearly £2,500 a month on food shopping.
They’ve overcome challenges every day but the family keep the boys busy with supermarket runs and fun day trips.
Shannon says: “Most days we go horse riding or collect eggs on our farm. The boys will come to the shops with me.
“We take them to Disneyland too. If they were all in a facility, they wouldn’t get to do what so-called normal people get to do. We want them to have real life experiences they never had in foster care.
“There’s never a dull day in our house.
“We get stared at a lot in restaurants as they’re loud. Some people even move away from us.
What is Down Syndrome?
DOWN Syndrome is typically diagnosed after birth and can affect the learning development of a child.
Down Syndrome, also known as Down’s Syndrome or trisomy 21, is a genetic condition that can cause a range of learning challenges.
People born with the condition nearly always have physical and intellectual disabilities.
As adults, their mental abilities tend to be similar to those of an eight or nine-year-old.
Each person with Down Syndrome will have different degrees of learning disability, including being slower to learn sitting, standing and walking.
Around one in 10 children with Down Syndrome also have another condition, such as ADHD or being on the autism spectrum.
There is no “cure” for Down Syndrome, but there is support available, such as access to healthcare specialists and development therapists.
Many people with the condition are able to leave home, have relationships and be largely independent.
They are more likely to have certain health problems however, such as heart disorders, hearing and vision challenges and thyroid issues.
“Just recently this one guy who asked for a different table, ended up buying our meal and writing an apology note that said, ‘I’m sorry for judging you.’
“If these people were to get to know the boys, they would just fall in love with them. No-body should judge anybody on anything. They are all so kind.
“People always say ‘I couldn’t do what you do,’ but this is normal for me.
“Being a mum to kids with additional needs isn’t always easy, but it’s always worth it.
“They make our life more exciting and bring us joy. We just want to help them and give them a place to call their home.”
