An Italian named Luca Trapanese has been interested in social service efforts since he was a teenager.

As a result, when he held Alba, an orphaned newborn girl with Down syndrome, he knew deep down that he would be the child’s father.

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 unwilling to raise a child with her sickness, the life of the blonde-haired toddler was revolutionized when Luca adopted her.

Luca has vast experience volunteering in a number of social service programs run by a few organizations he has been involved with since he was a child, including the “A Ruota Libera” Foundation, which assists 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 over those that do not fit the mold of a typical family.

This complicated matters for Luca, a gay man who had recently concluded an 11-year relationship. He was dead set on adopting a crippled child, no matter what it took.

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

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, bring joy to others around them.

Families with Down syndrome are exceedingly happy, according to a study published in the American Journal of Medical Genetics.

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: