A Warm Home for Jonathan

by Rotem Giovanni, Amit Comprehensive School

If you want to have some idea of how society relates to Down's Sydrome kids, then you should see the movie: A Warm Home for Jonathan.

Jonathan is a kid with Down's syndrome. His parents decided they couldn't handle him so they had him put in a home for dying kids. when he was about six years old, a women called Kari started to volunteer at the home. She and Jonathan started to communicate and she realized that he shouldn't be there and what's more, with a bit of attention, he was quick to grasp things.

The movie shows the developing relationship between the two, and the jealousy of Kari's two kids. But in the end, he moves in with them and they become a strong family. Then they found out that Jonathan had a hole in his heart and only surgery could save him, but they have to have the agreement of Jonathan's biological parents, and they refused. Kari decided to fight them, to take the case to court and to become Jonathan's adoptive mother. She won.

This is a very moving film, beautifully acted. The actor who plays the part of Jonathan is Christopher Burke. He himself has Down's Syndrome, and he did well in life. Most of us know him from the series "Life Goes On..." This is a series about a family with a kid with Down's syndrome. Chris's own story was that his mother, Marion, became pregnant with him at the age of 39. She, her husband, Frank and their three teenage kids were looking forward to the new baby. When Chris was born the doctors told the family that Chris was handicapped and he didn't have a chance of a normal life. Marion and Frank were determined to care for Chris and to do everything they could to help him develop. He couldn't speak properly and he couldn't stand up by himself. But the family stood by him and taught him. When he was four years old he spelled out his name. He liked other kids and was happier when he got more praise and applause. He started to want to be an actor when he saw his sister and brother on a television commercial. Even the family didn't believe that he could ever fulfill his dream, but he did!

This passage is part of an article which appeared in TEN - The Youth Newspaper of the Amit & Amal Schools in Safed, Spring 1998.

For more on Down's Syndrome kids, see interview: They are not Different

© 1998, Amal Pedagogical Technological Center