For the first time in 91 years, Gerber has named a Down syndrome child as its “spokesperson of the year.” 

Little 18-month-old Lucas Warren of Dalton, Georgia, beat out thousands of other photo submissions to win the annual contest. His smile will appear in Gerber ads throughout 2018. 

 “We’re hoping this will impact everyone — that it will shed a little bit of light on the special-needs community and help more individuals with special needs be accepted and not limited,” dad Jason Warren told NBC’s “Today Show.” “They have the potential to change the world, just like everybody else.” 

News of the nomination was applauded by pro-life activists, especially in light of recent efforts to “eradicate” Down syndrome through abortion. Iceland and Denmark, for example, have reported abortion rates of more than 90 percent for unborn babies testing positive for the syndrome in recent years. 

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