Where Wylie Bulldog football reigns, the will to win is untainted and boundaries don’t exist.
When James and DeeDee Baker were expecting their third child, they had no reason to believe there could be any issues until her blood work came back with markers indicating the baby could have Down Syndrome. Since DeeDee was considered advanced in maternal age, her doctor sent her to see a specialist. The specialist performed a sonogram and confirmed the Bakers’ initial expectations – their baby was fine.
“Even though the specialist said he was perfect, I just had a feeling,” said DeeDee. “I only told Rose Bristow. I don’t even think I even told James.”
The baby was due in March, and the pregnancy was going well despite the initial scare. Something for which DeeDee was very thankful because also at this time her father’s health was not. Unfortunately, she lost her father in February. His health challenges had been a distraction but now DeeDee’s mind raced back to her gut feelings about the sweet baby in her belly.
On March 27, Bryson Baker was born by emergency C-section. When he was born, all DeeDee asked was if he was healthy, and the nurse answered “yes”.
“They brought him to me, and I knew,” said DeeDee. I knew, but I didn’t want to know.”
Following Bryson’s delivery, the Bakers found out he needed heart surgery. Another distraction from the reality that Bryson was born with the most common type of Down Syndrome known as Trisomy 21.
SEEING BRYSON BAKER
DeeDee and James decided not to mention to their older boys that Bryson has Down Syndrome until he was almost six weeks old.
“We didn’t tell them right away. They didn’t know what someone looked like with it. They didn’t see him any different, and I didn’t want them to see him any other way,” she said.
When they informed the boys, their responses were totally different. Their oldest son Baylen, who was ten years old at the time, initially thought Bryson had superpowers.
“Baylen was jealous,” said DeeDee. He heard the word “syndrome” and immediately linked the word to the villain named Syndrome in the 2004 Pixar movie “The Incredibles.” Their six-year old son Brodie got really serious.
“He asked if Bryson was going to die,” said DeeDee. Once she assured him his little brother was not going to die, Brodie responded with, “I’ll probably have more questions.”
Even as time went on, the Baker brothers didn’t see their little brother any differently, and neither did Bryson. DeeDee said Bryson sees babies with Down Syndrome and recognizes others
that look like him, but he still doesn’t “get it”.
RAISING BRYSON BAKER
The Bakers found a geneticist whose research really struck a chord with them. His research showed that no matter what type of Down Syndrome a child had (there are three) the biggest factor in them being independent was parenting. “Families who didn’t coddle their child had more success,” said DeeDee.
The Bakers did their best to raise Bryson like their older two. He attended general education classes with an aide until eighth grade, which is when he switched into functional academics for core subjects and general education elective classes with an aide. As an educator, DeeDee knew it was important to be with his typical peers to see modeled behavior.
Bryson was like most other little brothers in that he wanted to be just like his big brothers.
“He always had to do what they [his brothers] do. Their room was across from his, and he would army crawl, because that’s what he could do when he was little, over to their room to be with them when they were playing video games,” said DeeDee. “At prom and winter formal, he would have to be dressed up like them, and we have pictures of him standing next to them with their dates. They were the best therapy he could have had.”
BRYSON BAKER’S SUPERPOWER
Now, Bryson never really played with toys. Instead, he loves to act out real-life events.
“He has a super good imagination and doesn’t forget anything,” said DeeDee. “Once we were watching the summer Olympics, and the next thing we know Bryson came out to the living room in his swimsuit and ‘Bob the Builder’ goggles and jumped up on the table like he was going to dive!”
So, it’s no surprise Bryson treats football in the same way. He’s been part of Wylie football his whole life – attending his brothers’ games and pep rallies, helping his mom decorate the locker room and his dad serve team breakfasts. Baylen and Brodie graduated in 2015 and 2020, respectively, and Baylen played collegiately at the University of Texas San Antonio.
“He would act out the entire Wylie football game, even bowing and praying,” said DeeDee. “Pads and pants, but never a ball. Going through the motions and talking to himself.”
When Bryson had the opportunity to be a member of the varsity team last year, he knew exactly what to do. He told his mom, “I’m on varsity. I went to the locker room,” and DeeDee said his football gear has been packed up and by the door ready to go for his senior year the entire summer.
THE BRYSON BAKER EFFECT
The wonderful thing is Bryson is just being himself. He is all in, and this trait impacts him and others in way that this world could use more of.
“The kids really seem to like having him around. It’s a testament to that locker room how much they are unafraid to let Bryson Baker live in the moment and celebrate his success,” said varsity football coach Cort Arthur. “Not just game day situations, but in winter drills when Bryson takes the chance to compete.”
“The boys just take care of him. They do things for him like help him tie his shoes and pull-up zippers, but they don’t treat him differently,” said DeeDee. “It’s made them better people.”
This will be Bryson’s final year participating in Wylie football, and the final year of Wylie sports for the Baker family. It’s honestly the end of an era for those who have been watching this kid whose love for his family, football and Wylie is the purest.
“He isn’t scared to win, and he’s even less afraid to celebrate immediately after,” said Coach Arthur. “It’s pretty awesome.”