This is not a textbook on how to raise a child with Down syndrome. THE GIFT OF NATE is the story of one baby born with Down syndrome in the years before testing for the genetic disorder was a regular part of pregnancy. Nate’s diagnosis of Down syndrome was a surprise to his parents. But the life he would lead—and the love he would share—was a gift. Nate Dail was born on a stormy afternoon in 1975 in a small town in Upstate New York. When the doctors realized his lungs were retaining too much fluid, they rushed him to a larger hospital with his parents, Dan and Jill, following the ambulance through the rain-soaked streets. At the Albany hospital, they learned that Nate had Down syndrome and were told that, with two children already at home, they would be better off putting him in an institution. "You’re going to have enough on your hands without having to worry about that little boy over there,” the social worker said, to which Jill responded, "That ‘little boy over there’ has a name. It’s Nate, and he has a family, and he’s going home with us.” Nate would go on to lead a full, active life with his parents and two brothers, extended family, and many friends. THE GIFT OF NATE is his story, told in a series of vignettes primarily through the eyes of his mother. Although the book offers bits of wisdom on parenting a child with Down syndrome, the reality is that Nate was unique, as is each child. Along these lines, Jill takes many opportunities to remind readers of a recurring theme: There will be certain experiences about raising a child with Down syndrome that will be different or difficult, but that's true about raising any child.