I hear you. There seems to be a special bond between these children, their parents and families. One of my nephews is married to a woman who has a Down’s brother. He is much loved.
We had a student several years ago by the name of Gabe. He was without a doubt the most popular kid in school. He would stand in the hall before school and between classes and greet everyone that went by. During lunch he would walk down the line "High fiving" everyone. He even sang in the school Christmas concert (We still have those here in the south).
Did I forget to mention that his parents adopted him knowing that he had Downs syndrome?