perceptions Changingperceptions Changing

St. Charles County man speaks at the United Nations about how his life with Down syndrome doesn’t stop him from overcoming life’s obstacles

By Brett Auten

Gabriel Cobb won't be boxed in and he scoffs at the limitations put upon him by those who have no clue.

On March 17, he delivered a presentation at the United Nations headquarters in New York. Cobb, 22, has Down syndrome, and during his speech to the UN, he talked about his family, his triathlon journey, overcoming challenges and raising awareness about Down syndrome. He wanted to prove how he is prepared to overcome life’s obstacles.

“I usually speak for 15 minutes, but (at the UN) it was just seven,” Cobb said. “We got to spend two days in New York. It was great.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately one in every 772 babies in the United States is born with Down syndrome, making Down syndrome the most common chromosomal condition. About 5,100 babies with Down syndrome are born in the United States each year. Down syndrome occurs in people of all races and economic levels, though older women have an increased chance of having a child with Down syndrome. A 35-year-old woman has about a one-in-350 chance of conceiving a child with Down syndrome, and this chance increases gradually to 1-in-100 by age 40. At age 45 the incidence becomes approximately 1-in-30.

Cobb was first invited to speak at the United Nations in 2020; although he had no prior public speaking experience, he and his parents – Thomas and Lori – saw it as an opportunity to show a wider audience how Gabriel leads a full and vibrant life.

“We are hoping to raise the bar a little when it comes to people's perception of those with Down syndrome,” Lori said.

Three days after they agreed, the world shut down because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Fast forward three years later, Cobb was confident and comfortable thanks to a multiple public speaking engagement, including a speech to an international nurses’ conference in San Antonio last year.

Cobb references his experiences as a triathlete to show the ups and downs of his everyday life.

Five years ago, some friends invited him to check out the High School Tri Club, a nonprofit group that coaches young people for triathlons, based out of the O’Fallon YMCA. Cobb went to a practice, thinking it would be another way to exercise with other people. Exercise is an important facet of Cobb's life. Low muscle tone and flat feet are always a concern as is keeping his bodyweight numbers respectable.

Cobb's strength in the pool caught the nearby eye of a coach and suddenly, the Cobbs added another activity to the family calendar.

The Cobbs were not sports people initially, so it was all new at first; but, coach Dan Engelhard told Cobb that he needed a goal and that he could do a triathlon. In 2018, Cobb finished his first triathlon, a sprint sprint-distance triathlon with a 750-meter swim, a 20K bike ride and a 5K run at the University of Missouri.

“It was cold, rainy, and I hate thunderstorms,” Cobb said of his first triathlon.

He now has 10 triathlons under his belt and trains three times a week.

Engelhard and assistant coach Matt Curry push him to get better and one of the team's rules at races is every team member sticks around and cheers on every finisher, from the medal winners to the last finisher – which is often Cobb. So, when Cobb nears the end, his teammates run alongside him until the end.

“It is like this mass, mob of people,” he said. “They all coming running in.”

And after every race, how does he celebrate?

“Pizza at the end,” Cobb said. “Hopefully, meatlovers.”

Cobb is going to keep breaking down walls and redefining what he is capable of.

When he’s not training for triathlons, Cobb plays the piano (songs from “The Greatest Showman” are his favorite), takes taekwondo (he’s working on his purple belt) and hangs out with a model. One of his friends is Grace Strobel, a successful model and fellow young adult with Down syndrome.