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Jake Burger of the Miami Marlins and his wife, Ashlyn recently introduced their newest addition to the family.
The duo welcomed their second child, Penelope on Oct 25, 2024. In an exclusive interview with People Magazine, the couple announced that Penelope was born with Down Syndrome.
"Her diagnosis is not what defines her or her life, it’s what makes her who she is, and we wouldn’t want her any other way," said the pair in a post on social media. "God chose us to be her parents and every day since news of her diagnosis we’ve been thanking him for this extra special gift."
Jake and Ashlyn learned weeks into their pregnancy that their daughter would be born with Down Syndrome.
"Our initial thought on learning about her diagnosis was simple, we just looked at each other and I had said to Ash, 'Okay, and?' " said Jake to People Magazine in an exclusive interview. "Life isn't meant to be easy, it's meant to be fulfilling and this is God's way of doing just that."
Jake is currently the only active MLB player with a child with Down Syndrome, and the pair say they feel that God has given them a special task.
"We are the lucky ones and now we get to dedicate our lives to helping others feel the same way when god blesses them with the same gift," said the Burgers to People Magazine. "God has gifted us a beautiful soul and a beautiful girl, and we can’t wait to watch her grow up and achieve everything she wants to in life."
Penelope joins her big brother, Brooks, who turns 2 years old next month.