This Boy Is the Son of a Famous Mother Who Once Feared He Wouldn't Thrive in Society – Now He's a Model Working with Major Brands

She had planned to give birth at home, but complications led to an emergency induction. Hours later, a doctor raised concerns that hadn't come up during pregnancy. In the years since, she's used her platform to show what most people never get to see.

She was already established in modeling and television when she became a mother for the first time. Soon after her son was born, doctors raised concerns about his development. This made her worry about what his future might hold and how the world would receive him.

Rather than step back, she chose to speak up. By sharing his story publicly, she challenged outdated ideas and made room for new ones. This is how her son went from a quiet beginning to becoming a face for major brands, changing how many perceive disability.

During her pregnancy, she had planned to deliver at home in a birthing tub. But in the final weeks, her midwife noticed that the baby's heartbeat had begun to drop. After follow-up visits with specialists, she was told to go to the hospital immediately.

She wasn't frightened—only excited that she was about to meet her baby. Labor was induced, and her son was born in a hospital. Micah arrived strong and crying. There had been no indicators during pregnancy or ultrasounds that suggested anything was unusual.

But within hours of his birth, the on-call hospital pediatrician noted two features—almond-shaped eyes and a slightly folded ear—and suggested he might have Down syndrome. The doctor recommended genetic testing, but said Micah was too small at the time to draw the five vials of blood required.

For the first three months, the model and her husband lived as though Micah were a typical baby. Then the test was done, and a month later, they received the diagnosis: Trisomy 21.

Once the diagnosis was confirmed, the emotional impact was immediate. At that moment, a stream of questions came to her mind: Would he have friends? Could he ride motorcycles with his dad, as they had once imagined? Would he ever be able to speak? Would he feel valued?

Micah's early health issues added new responsibilities. He was treated for jaundice in the NICU and had severe reflux that caused him to choke and turn blue. His parents learned to keep him upright after feedings to manage it. He was also diagnosed with hypothyroidism and began taking medication daily to regulate it.

No medical guidelines had been given to prepare them for what to expect. Instead, they adjusted by monitoring his health closely and attending regular appointments. His mother later said they preferred not to place limits on him and chose to follow his needs as they emerged.

In the days following the diagnosis, she experienced a range of emotions. One of the most difficult things was accepting that nothing during her pregnancy could have changed the outcome. She had stayed active, had no vitamin deficiencies, and gave birth young—choices she believed would lead to a healthy child.

Even so, Micah was born with a genetic condition. "I guess at first I was just in denial. I was young, 28, I didn't think it was really a possibility," she said of her reaction. While she knew she wasn't at fault, it was still difficult not to feel a sense of responsibility.

Her husband, Mike, appeared calm and steady throughout. At the time, he never expressed fear or doubt, and nothing in his behavior changed. Months later, she asked if he had ever been scared. He admitted he had briefly compared their life to those of friends with sons.

He had wondered whether he and Micah would be able to do the same things—surf or build cars. But he felt it was his job to stay grounded while she found her footing. When she was ready, he shared his thoughts so she would know she hadn't been alone.

She described him as a consistent support, and noted that the diagnosis itself didn't affect their relationship. Micah was someone who naturally slowed things down, requiring attention, patience, and intention. This required them to slow down, and while that was a challenge, especially for Mike, it was one they learned to manage together.

As they settled into a new routine, she also began thinking about how to share their experience more openly. With a background in modeling and a public platform already in place, she felt a responsibility to speak up, not just for Micah, but for other families who might be navigating similar realities.

She never hesitated to share his diagnosis. Her support system was strong, and she didn't feel the need to protect herself from public opinion. From the start, she believed it was important to show what their life looked like.

Too many misconceptions existed, including some she and her husband had once believed, and she wanted to offer a more accurate picture. Her career had taught her the value of standing out. She often booked modeling jobs not despite her differences, but because of them, like her crooked nose or wide-set eyes.

That same thinking shaped how she saw Micah. His differences weren't something to downplay. They were part of who he was, and she believed others needed to see that. Within the first few months of his life, she began posting on Instagram.

While quietly nursing Micah, she searched for stories from other parents and found comfort in seeing children with Down syndrome thriving. She decided to contribute to that space and offer their own story to the mix.

Though the response was mostly supportive, not all feedback was positive. She recalled being shaken by early online criticism. Seeing negative reactions to Micah brought the reality of public exposure into sharp focus.

Still, she believed those moments prepared her for what might come later, when Micah would be old enough to recognize and respond to how others treated him. For Amanda Booth, now 38, it was important to be ready.

The new parents began sharing more of their family's day-to-day life online, offering insight into their routines and challenges. As Micah grew, his care involved several regular medical check-ins. Their pediatrician, Dr. Katiraei, took a comprehensive approach to Micah's health.

Dr. Katiraei used plant-based nutrition, a wide range of supplements, and consistent blood testing to monitor everything from thyroid function to iron levels. Micah's delayed tooth eruption, a common trait in children with Down syndrome, led to an adjustment in his thyroid medication.

Once the dosage changed, his teeth began to come in. For Amanda, it was another reminder not to accept delays as fixed outcomes, but to keep asking questions and looking deeper. She credited their doctor's attention to detail and shared mindset with much of Micah's progress.

That support extended beyond medicine. Her own mother moved to California after learning about Micah's diagnosis, giving Amanda and her husband more stability at home during those early years. Their pace of life changed dramatically.

Amanda, who once thought she'd return to work six weeks after giving birth, stayed home far longer than planned. She felt a strong need to be physically present for Micah, convinced that the connection and consistency would help him develop.

Being home also gave her more time to focus on learning how to best support his needs. "I had a responsibility to Micah, to push him really hard, and to give him all the tools I had for him to grow and learn," shared Amanda. "I was a competitive athlete my entire life, so I knew that you get back what you put in."

She explained, "I wasn't going to let him have the easy way out just because he 'couldn't' do things. No way. He just needed me to show him how." As Micah got older, Amanda continued sharing updates on his progress.

In a post from September 2024, she explained that Micah was non-verbal and had not made vocal sounds since his regression. That changed when she heard him say "Ah"—his first sound in years. "I am curious…what's the oldest age someone you know started speaking? I live between accepting he won't and having hope he might," she concluded.

In an April 2025 post, Amanda addressed the broader conversation around autism and disability, writing that hardship and beauty exist in every family, regardless of diagnosis.

She challenged the idea that disability should be singled out or seen as a defining hardship, and encouraged a more inclusive way of thinking. "Let's stop singling out the disability community, shall we?" she wrote.

When Amanda returned to castings, she noticed that many included real mothers and their babies. Still, no one had approached her about bringing Micah. She raised the issue with her agents, asking them to submit both of them for jobs, regardless of whether the brand had asked for children with disabilities.

That conversation opened the door to a new direction in her work. Amanda believed that representation mattered. She pointed out that the only reason she ever thought she could be a model was because she had seen someone who looked like her doing it. She wanted that same opportunity for others.

"Let's get them on TV. Let's put them in an advertisement," she said, "so people with Down syndrome get to walk past storefronts and say, 'Oh, that person looks like me.'" She also encouraged open conversations about disability and welcomed respectful curiosity.

If a child asked about Micah's behavior, she saw it as a chance to explain and help them understand. Her goal was to create early, natural exposure, so future generations would feel more at ease around people with disabilities.

Amanda's push for greater inclusion in casting eventually paid off. In 2020, Micah was featured in Tommy Hilfiger's #TommyAdaptive campaign, which highlighted clothing designed with accessibility in mind. The line included items with magnetic closures and elastic waistbands—features that made getting dressed easier and quicker.

Amanda noted that this made a big difference for Micah, who didn't have the attention span for long wardrobe changes. "Being on set is a breeze in adaptive clothing," she wrote. The campaign was a milestone.

It placed Micah in a national spotlight and reflected Amanda's larger goal of seeing people with disabilities included in mainstream media. The public often responds to such updates with support and enthusiasm. On one Instagram post, fans commented, "Beautiful, beautiful Micah," and "Twins!! Sooo cute ❤️❤️❤️."

In one post where Amanda had Micah in her arms, a fan wrote, "Beautiful." Another picture of the mother and son also drew reactions such as, "Beautiful boy," "He's so grown up now," and "Holy cow he has grown so much!!!!"

Today, Micah has his own presence online. His Instagram account—managed by his parents—states, "I'm a boy, I'm a model, and I happen to have Down Syndrome and Autism 😎." It also includes booking information through his agency.

His visibility continues to grow, reinforcing Amanda's belief that representation should reflect the full range of people's experiences, not just a narrow standard.