Oliver is toddler of the year in his parents’ eyes

By Maureen Gilmer, Riley Children’s Health senior writer, mgilmer1@iuhealth.org

There’s no denying that Oliver Cole is a cutie.

The impish grin, the sparkling eyes, the rosy cheeks and the pizza-covered face.

Oliver, who just turned 3, captured the hearts – and votes – of fans across the country as he competed in a Toddler of the Year contest sponsored by Hasbro over the summer.

The Greenfield boy, who has Down syndrome, was one of more than 234,000 tots entered in the contest and advanced all the way to the semifinals, finishing in the top 260, said his parents, J. Michael Cole and Melissa Falkner.

“When we entered him in this contest, it was just for fun,” Cole said, a way to celebrate their son and raise awareness of Down syndrome. (October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month.)

“He was a pretty popular face in that contest,” Cole added. “We thought it was neat that a local boy had made it that far … it was uplifting that our little guy, despite everything he’d been through, was just rocking and rolling through that contest.”

Down syndrome is a genetic disorder caused by the presence of an extra copy of chromosome 21 in all or some of the body's cells. It can be associated with mild to moderate intellectual difficulties, delayed language, heart defects, gastrointestinal problems and increased risk of leukemia.

For Oliver’s parents, he has brought immense joy coupled with health challenges. He had open-heart surgery with Riley Children’s Health surgeon Dr. Mark Rodefeld in June to repair a leaky valve and close some holes, and he had another surgery with Riley urologist Dr. Richard Rink last year. Oliver also has regular therapies and has mild sleep apnea.

“Oliver has made full recoveries from both surgeries, thanks to his amazing surgeons at Riley,” Falkner said.

Navigating the past three years has been challenging, she and her husband agreed, but their son is thriving.

He loves music, both said, taking to it naturally because Cole plays drums, and Falkner plays piano.

“He is all about pizza,” Cole said. “He’s fearless, he’s curious, he likes to see things and touch things, he likes to interact, and he studies people. He is very inquisitive and very brave, which I find inspiring.”

In sharing their son’s story, the couple said they hope to not just raise awareness of Down syndrome but also encourage other families to embrace the role of advocating for their children.

“There’s been a lot of worry about just wanting the best for him,” Cole acknowledged.

“Love your child as they are, meet them where they are, help get them where they need to go, and be strong for them,” Falkner said.

Despite Oliver’s challenges, he still gets up every day and pushes himself, his parents said.

“He’s still being kind, and he’s still working hard in life, and we felt there was a nice takeaway there for folks.”

Find out about Riley’s interdisciplinary approach to Down syndrome care here.