Since he was a teenager, an Italian guy named Luca Trapanese has been involved in social work initiatives.

As a result, when he held Alba, a baby girl with Down syndrome in need of a home, he felt deep down that he would be the father of the orphaned kid.

Alba had been confronted with adversity from the moment she was born. Her mother first turned her down since she had special requirements. She was put up for adoption, but at least 20 families turned her down before meeting Luca.

After being passed on by families who weren’t ready to raise a kid with her illness, the blonde-haired child’s life transformed when Luca adopted her.

Luca has extensive experience helping in a variety of social service programs run by a few organizations he had been a part of since he was a child, including the “A Ruota Libera” Foundation, which helps children with Down syndrome.

“I’ve volunteered and worked with the disabled since I was 14 years old,” he explained, “so I thought I had the proper expertise and experience to accomplish it.”

This adoption, like any other, was exceedingly tough to complete. Adoption agencies favor “traditional” families to those that do not fit the mold of a typical family.

This made things much more difficult for Luca, a gay man who had recently ended an 11-year relationship. He was dead intent on adopting a disabled child, even if it meant going it alone.

“Having a disabled child is not the last resort for me, but a deliberate option in terms of my job and abilities,” he stated.

Luca achieved his aim and is now the proud father of Alba, who has brought him so much joy since she arrived.

Thankfully, people with Down syndrome have a better quality of life now than they did in the past. Because medical knowledge of the illness was limited decades ago, babies born with it were expected to have a variety of health problems and a short lifespan.

They can now live healthy lives, work, start their own families, and, most importantly, make everyone around them happy.

According to a study published in the American Journal of Medical Genetics, families living with persons with Down syndrome are extremely happy.

Certainly, now that Luca has this little angel by his side, he can witness that. Now that he and Alba are reunited, they are in for the time of their lives!

Watch their adorable video below: