The anticipation of holding the bundle of joy who is about to change your days and give a whole new meaning to your life is described as one of the best feelings ever. But what happens if the child comes with certain condition or disease? Do we give up on them, or we do our best to provide them with the best life possible?

The truth is that different people react differently, just like the parents of beautiful Misha who was born with an extra chromosome.

When his mom and dad learned Misha had Down Syndrome, they were both crushed and devastated. It was mostly because of the fact they were totally unfamiliar with the condition, something his father, Evgeny Anisimov, was more than willing to learn, unlike the baby boy’s mother who gave up on him and wanted to place him in foster care.

Evgeny never thought of leaving his son behind, Down Syndrome or not, Misha was his sweet baby boy and he was more than happy to embark on the adventure called fatherhood together with the little one, although it meant he would do it without his wife by his side.

The good thing is that most European countries, including Russia, where Evgeny and Misha are from, treat people with Down Syndrome as completely normal individuals.

They are involved in every aspect of the society, attend regular schools, and are taught how to live independently. It was something that encouraged Evgeny even further not to ever leave his son.

“I remember that upon learning that my son has Down Syndrome, I left the hospital and cried, but not for long. Later, I was a little embarrassed by these tears. In my life, after all, nothing had changed, in general. I was still with two arms, with two legs, my professional knowledge had gone nowhere.

“My determination, activity, curiosity, and so on—everything was with me. Everything happened as I planned, my son was born. But the child is special, his life and future destiny are already very significant. And I’m roaring here!” the proud dad told Bored Panda.

Baby Misha is still very young to know what is happening around him, but his father is making sure more and more people become aware of how special people with Down Syndrome are.

With such devoted and incredibly loving father, we are sure Misha will have a perfect childhood and an awesome life. And, yes, we are sure the boy’s mom will regret her decision to be missing being part of Misha’s life.

Please SHARE this story with your family and friends on Facebook in honor of every devoted dad out there.