Liam is 1 year old. He has Down syndrome and serious heart malfunctions. Liam has undergone extensive medical treatment and surgery during the last twelve months. He is on a ventilator, has a tracheotomy for breathing and a nasogastric tube for feeding. Living in the hospital since birth, Liam went home for the first time in mid December.
Marilyn and Gerardo, his parents, live in an apartment in Silver Spring, MD, together with Gerardo's mother and sister, and her 3 year old daughter Esteyli.
On the afternoon of January, 3rd, I arrived at the family's home and met Marilyn and a nurse standing at Liam's bed. When I saw Liam with all the tubes and wires that kept him alive, I was startled. Noticing, however, how much love, patience and care everybody was giving to Liam, immediately put me at ease.
Marilyn asked me to do a family portrait, and it took more than an hour and the help of several people to get Liam out of his bed, dressed and transferred to the living room.
