From Siberia to Times Square: Alyssa Yorty is taking the ‘dis’ out of ‘disability’
Annie Yorty of Waynesboro describes her daughter, Alyssa, as a spunky young woman who can talk anyone into anything.
On Sept. 9, looking “all sassy and cute” in a pretty dress and makeup and striking a model pose, the 34-year-old will be pictured larger than life on two jumbotrons in New York City.
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Hers is one of about 500 photos from 2,400 submissions selected for the annual National Down Syndrome Society Times Square Video. The one-hour video includes children, teens and adults with Down syndrome from all 50 states.
“These collective images promote the value, acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome in a very visible way,” according to a NDSS news release. The presentation precedes the organization’s 2023 New York City Buddy Walk and will be live streamed on the NDSS Facebook page from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.
“I’m excited to have my picture on the big screen in New York City,” Alyssa said. “I hope people realize we all have a light to shine.”
She won’t be able to see the video in-person since she’ll be in Arizona on Sept. 9, fulfilling a lifelong dream to be maid of honor in a friend’s wedding.
The Times Square spotlight and wedding gig come in a year when Alyssa also became a published author, contributing a chapter about her life to her mother’s book “From Ignorance to Bliss: God’s Heart Revealed Through Down Syndrome.”
The book has been well-received and people are “very surprised about what Alyssa’s done in her life,” Annie said.
‘What do you do when life comes at you sideways?’
A blurb about the book says “What do you do when life comes at you sideways? Try to jump out of the way? Go with the flow? Resist, attempting to get it back on the straight and narrow? ‘From Ignorance to Bliss: God’s Heart Revealed Through Down Syndrome’ demonstrates how God uses the unexpected in life to grow and change those who are willing.”
The first-person narrative is Annie’s perspective as Alyssa’s mom covering “the good, the bad and the ornery,” as well as “how Alyssa has enriched me and others around us.”
The cover features Alyssa standing on a road looking snazzy in a pink jacket, blue jeans and sunglasses.
The imagery of the road shows “this is a journey we’re on … good scenery and some potholes,” Annie said. “It’s not all about the destination.”
Alyssa is the first child of Jeff and Annie Yorty. The family also includes her adult brother, Stuart, and a cousin, Joy Cotton, 17, being raised by her parents. The Yortys have lived in different places during Jeff’s career in the military and industry and moved to Waynesboro in 2008.
The book was written over a period of about three years and published in March, but Annie’s been thinking about it for a long time.
She wrote the words “Ignorance to Bliss” on a sticky note and stuck it in a drawer when Alyssa was 4 years old.
The Yortys did not know Alyssa had Down syndrome prior to her birth. Annie, who was young and healthy, recalled declining prenatal testing for fetal abnormalities. She said she did not need to know about any potential issues and abortion was not on the table.
“It was very shocking when she was born,” Annie said. “I didn’t know anything … I had a lot to learn.”
She said it was good not to know everything at once, which would have been overwhelming, but to “learn by experience one bite at a time.”
Nothing is sugar-coated and the book presents a balanced picture, Annie said. Topics include:
Expectations — managing hopes and dreams
Education — public, homeschooling, inclusion, and legal wrangling
Therapies — balancing a busy to-do list with everyday life
Medical issues — trusting God in difficult diagnoses
Recreation — accessing and enjoying leisure activities
Work — finding meaningful ways to contribute
Siblings and friends — navigating relationships
Rejection and disappointment — finding satisfaction in God
Triumphs and joy — celebrating identity, worth and achievement
What were some of the bumps in the road?
Two of the hardest things to deal with have been education and acceptance or rejection in the community.
Annie said one school district they lived in did not want to include Alyssa in the best education possible. The case ended up in court, and Alyssa was mainly homeschooled, graduating when then family lived in Kentucky.
Friendships can be tricky, and it is also difficult when people reject Alyssa, when she’s not included places she should be and people assume she can’t do things.
“She’s a smart young woman and she can perceive it … I can’t shield her,” said Annie.
What does Alyssa love about her life?
In the chapter in the book, “Alyssa in Her Own Words,” she writes about her life from birth to the present, including camping, travel, riding horses, church, family, friends and pets.
A highlight for mother and daughter was a 2013 missions trip to Siberia, visiting with orphans and the elderly and sharing resources like food, clothing and toys.
“It was icy cold there, but I went to tell people about God’s love,” according to Alyssa. “I liked meeting people in Siberia and getting to know them.”
Alyssa is very open to people and has a sixth sense about people’s needs, her mother said.
For example, it was difficult when the group, which already needed an interpreter to translate the Russian, visited an orphanage for the deaf.
While everyone else was stressed about communicating, “Alyssa interacted without words … she just loved on them.”
It also was eye-opening for people to see Alyssa speaking, interacting and singing, since most children with Down syndrome in Russia end up in orphanages, Annie said.
Today, Alyssa works at OSI in Chambersburg three days a week and is excited to be earning a paycheck.
Her chapter concludes, “This is my life and I love it!”
How can you blast through barriers?
The Times Square Video presentation kicks off the New York City Buddy Walk in Central Park. The Buddy Walk to raise awareness about Down syndrome has taken place in New York City since 1995 and walks are held around the country and internationally.
The Yortys have never been to the walk in NYC, but they’ve participated elsewhere, including in Chambersburg..
They are also involved in Special Olympics, and Alyssa writes she’s done sports like soccer, basketball, floor hockey, track and bowling.
Annie helped start the support organization BLAST of Waynesboro — Bold, Loving, Affirming, Supportive, Together.
The nonprofit provides social activities, especially for adults with disabilities. Once they turn 21, they often lose services and opportunities to contribute and develop, she explained.
The group has social outings, supports Special Olympics, raises money for things like accessible playgrounds and helps provide job opportunities.
Its motto is “Blasting though barriers to take the 'dis' out of disability!”
What else should know about Annie Yorty?
“I wouldn’t want life to be any different,” said Annie, who also is a speaker, who offers hope and encouragement to those living through difficult situations; contributes articles to spiritual publications; and hosts the podcast “Ordinary Moms of Extraordinary Kids”
She’s available to speak to civic organizations and church groups on a variety of topics, including advocacy, inclusion, disability, faith, family dysfunction, forgiveness, missionary work and cultivating a lifestyle of service.
More information is available at annieyorty.com
The book can be ordered via Annie’s website and Amazon.
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Shawn Hardy is a reporter with Gannett's Franklin County newspapers in south-central Pennsylvania — the Echo Pilot in Greencastle, The Record Herald in Waynesboro and the Public Opinion in Chambersburg. She has more than 35 years of journalism experience. Reach her at shardy@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Waynesboro Record Herald: Learn about the Down syndrome journey of a Waynesboro family
