This Is Lucas, The First Gerber Baby With Down Syndrome

February 8, 2018

Meet Lucas Warren, the first child with Down Syndrome to be named a Gerber baby.

Credit: Gerber / Cortney Warren

Lucas is from Dalton, Georgia. Gerber picked him from more than 140,000 entries in this year's photo contest, which has been a Gerber tradition for 91 years.

"Every year, since the beginning of the Gerber Baby Photo Search, we choose the baby who exemplifies Gerber's longstanding heritage of recognizing that every baby is a Gerber baby, and Lucas is a perfect fit," Kristin Wooten, a spokeswoman for Gerber, told CNN.

Credit: Gerber / Cortney Warren

"He's very outgoing and never meets a stranger," Lucas's mom, Cortney, told TODAY. "He loves to play, loves to laugh and loves to make other people laugh."

Cortney says she hopes her son will be seen not only as a baby with Down syndrome, but also as a funny, energetic child who loves music and socializing.

Credit: Gerber / Cortney Warren

"He may have Down syndrome, but he's always Lucas first. He's got an awesome personality and he goes through the milestones of every child... we're hoping when he grows up and looks back on this, he'll be proud of himself and not ashamed of his disability."