A New Zealand man's wife left him for refusing to give up their newborn son because he has Down syndrome.
Samuel Forrest told ABC News he was baffled when he walked into his wife's hospital room last week in Armenia after doctors informed him their just born son, Leo, had Down syndrome.
"I got the ultimatum right then," Forrest said. "She told me if I kept him then we would get a divorce."
Ruzan Badalyan kept good on her promise and filed for divorce a week later. Badalyan confirmed to ABC News she had a baby with Down syndrome and is no longer with Forrest but did not give further comment.
Forrest said doctors would not immediately let him see his son after he was born. Instead, a pediatrician walked out his wife's hospital room with the baby's face covered and Forrest was shuffled into another room with doctors and nurses.
"When I walked into the room they all turned to me and said 'Leo has Down syndrome,' " he told the station. "I had a few moments of shock."
Doctors reportedly told him that because of Leo's genetic disorder, he had the option of giving the baby up. But after the news sank in, Forrest knew there was no way he would abandon Leo.
"They took me in [to] see him and I looked at this guy and I said, 'He's beautiful- he's perfect and I'm keeping him,' " the father said.
Down syndrome is marked by abnormal cell division that leads to extra genetic material, according to the Mayo Clinic. It usually causes developmental issues and permanent learning disabilities.
Forrest, originally from New Zealand, did not know about hospital policies in Armenia, ABC News reported.
"What happens when a baby like this is born here, they will tell you that you don't have to keep them," he said. "My wife had already decided, so all of this was done behind my back."
The only thing the new father is focusing on now is getting him and Leo back home to New Zealand. As a freelance business contractor, Forrest does not have a steady paycheck, so a GoFundMe page has been set up to raise funds for travel and Leo's care until Forrest gets a job.
Over $276,700 has been raised as of Friday.
Forrest said his experience has motivated him to help other parents understand Down syndrome.
"As a child with Down syndrome, that becomes somewhat of a label. If we can get around this label, we'll see that they're normal. They're a little different from us, but they're still normal."
