Saturday, October 9, 2010

Actor Jamie Foxx says his sister with Down syndrome lives a full life, just like anyone else

From Entertainment Tonight:

We've seen Jamie Foxx with his sister DeOndra Dixon on the red carpet but now he's putting her in the spotlight and opening up about caring for a sibling with Down syndrome.

"This little lady right here lives with me along with my other sister, along with my father and my mother. So, we're one big happy family," Foxx said while seated next to DeOndra.

On Saturday night, DeOndra and her peers participated in the Be Beautiful, Be Yourself Jet Set Fashion Show where music great Quincy Jones and "Survivor" host Jeff Probst were both in attendance. The event went to benefit Global Down Syndrome Foundation. Foxx said of the evening, "This is just so amazing that she gets to do her thing where the spotlight is on her. The focus is on her. It means a lot."

The actor couldn't help but dote on his sister, telling ET, "I don't call it a condition. I just call it living. … When she loves, she loves. When she's mad, she's mad. When she cries, she cries. When she's happy, she's happy, but she always tells the truth."

He said the message of this event was to be yourself and to recognize that there's "beautiful everywhere."