For 14-year-old Jack DowDell of Utah, walking into a 7-Eleven to buy a Slurpee may have looked simple. But for Jack and his family, it was nothing short of monumental.
In a now-viral video with over 16 million views, Jack—who has Down syndrome—stepped into a convenience store alone for the first time. The clip shows him getting last-minute encouragement from his dad in the car, confidently making his purchase, and beaming with pride as he returns. Later, he calls his mom with joyful excitement: “I did it!”
“This might not seem like a big deal to others,” wrote his mom Kimberly in the post, “but to Jack—it meant everything.”
Behind the scenes, Jack’s parents had been slowly preparing for this moment. They practiced paying together, talked through the steps multiple times, and watched closely from outside when it came time for Jack to fly solo.
“As his parents, we want him to be independent, but we worry and find ourselves wanting to hover,” Kimberly shared in an interview with Newsweek.
“Jack teaches us every day how to smile through life and to feel joy through the smallest things—like getting a Slurpee.”
And he nailed it.
The video, shared on Instagram by @thekimberlydowdell, has resonated with families around the world—especially those raising children with disabilities. Comments from total strangers poured in, with one user writing, “If you need me, I’ll be in my car crying. Proud stranger.”
Another parent shared, “My daughter with Down syndrome just turned one. I can’t wait for the moment she picks up a Slurpee for herself (and maybe grabs me a coffee too).”
For Jack, this is just the beginning. His mom says now that he’s done it once, “he’s excited to do it on his own every time.”
Read the full story in Newsweek.
