By Fred Capel
[Excerpted from the World Tribune, March 24, 2000]

My son, Travis was born in 1995 with Down's syndrome.

My wife couldn't handle the stress of having a child with Down's syndrome, so she left Travis and me soon after his birth. My family disapproved of my Buddhist practice and blamed Travis's condition on my practice.

Even though he was only five months old, he had to have heart surgery. I had to face this alone.

I determined to chant 5 million daimoku for his surgery to be successful.

It was.

After receiving a letter from New York State that services for disabled people were going to be severely cut, I watched the New York Yankees get a ticker tape parade in their honor. I was angry that the money spent on the parade could have funded many children like Travis.

I moved to Arizona, and discovered that Arizona has no services for developmentally disabled children.

I knew then what my mission had to be — to provide services for every child who has Down's syndrome across the nation. Physical therapy, speech therapy, special education, and independent living skills had to be provided. I also wanted to provide a helping hand to parents.

I chanted for the wisdom to do something. The result was "The Foundation for Children with Down's Syndrome."

In the beginning, I had no money or support. I was angry with everyone's misplaced priorities.

During these times I would chant and read the Gosho and Daisaku Ikeda's writings.  Then I read something that stays with me still:

"In the journey of kosen-rufu, things will not always go smoothly, but we are eternal comrades.  People who come together in good times, but desert one another when the going gets rough are not comrades. Turning a blind eye to the suffering of others using the rational that 'it has nothing to do with me,' is not the spirit of comrades.  True comrades share both suffering and joy!" 

—Faith into Action, p. 219

We moved to Minneapolis. Once there, I called a senior in faith who encouraged me to follow President Ikeda's advice to get involved in my community. I did just that and became the leader of my block club and was elected to the board of directors of my neighborhood association.

When the "Treasuring the Future: Children's Rights and Realities" exhibit came to Minneapolis, I supported every event. It was shocking to me that the only two countries not to have a Children's Right bill were Somalia and the U.S. It was clear that there is a link between children who have various needs (disability, poverty, hunger, and access to education) not being able to get the services they need and the fact that there is no Children's Rights Bill in the U.S.

Through many efforts over the last three years, the foundation is now a nongovernmental organization with the United Nations. My goal is to fight to provide services for people with Down's syndrome, as well as for a Children's Rights Bill for the U.S.

I recently met with the mayor of Minneapolis, Sharon Sayles Belton, to talk about the foundation and how it can help parents and children with Down's syndrome. With the mayor's assistance, I now have a person who is putting together a solid business plan for the foundation, which includes a building and seed money to run it. Services are planned to start this summer.

Because of my efforts I was nominated for the Minneapolis Award and Senator Bill Bradley has recognized me for my accomplishments on behalf of Children with Down's Syndrome.

Because of my faith, when I look into Travis' beautiful brown eyes and see his smile, I know that people with Down's syndrome across the U.S. will become self-sufficient in the 21st century.

Epilogue [Excerpted from an email from Charsan]:

Today [May 2, 2000], Fred received a letter from the White House requesting his presence at a reception on May 22nd for the president of South Africa!!!!  When Fred called the White House, he found out that not only had the social secretary read his World Tribune experience... but so have Bill and Hillary Clinton!!  Additionally, Fred and Travis will be spending the night in the White House and he plans on doing gongyo to his Omamori Gohonzon in the White House on the morning of the reception.

Danny Nagashima called Fred today and told him he was the first SGI member to be invited to an event of this stature at the White House. Fred is praying that he can receive guidance from Sensei before he attends this event.

Fred is a common person like you and I, who has a dream for his child's future. What makes him so extraordinary is that in the face of being told he's crazy and unreasonable, he has maintained his composure and dream and is now in a position to not only develop support for his foundation, but also has a chance to open the door of the White House to the SGI and our kosen-rufu movement. Fred understands this profound mission, but as a common man he is also nervous but determined to see how much he can chant in the next three weeks. Please join me in supporting Fred so that when he has this incredible opportunity he will feel as if he's surrounded by a gathering of Buddhas, fully supported and embraced by our daimoku.