The first child with Down syndrome to be named a Gerber baby for the year appeared on NBC's "Today" show on Wednesday with a big smile.
One-year-old Lucas Warren from Dalton, Georgia was named the winner of Gerber's 2018 Spokesbaby contest, becoming the first child with Down syndrome to win the title since it began in 2010. He was chosen from more than 140,000 entries
Warren's parents, Cortney and Jason, said they entered their son on a whim and were stunned that he won. They added that they are very proud of Lucas and happy that his win may help others with disabilities be accepted by society.
"We're hoping this will impact everyone, that it will shed a little bit of light on the special needs community and help more individuals with special needs be accepted and not limited," Jason Warren said. "They have the potential to change the world, just like everybody else."
Lucas' mom is hoping that her son will be proud of his achievement when he is older.
"He may have Down syndrome, but he's always Lucas first," Cortney said. "He's got an awesome personality and he goes through the milestones of every child ... we're hoping when he grows up and looks back on this, he'll be proud of himself and not ashamed of his disability."
Bill Partyka, president and CEO of Gerber, said in a statement that Lucas' smile won over the hearts of his staff.
"Lucas' winning smile and joyful expression won our hearts this year, and we are all thrilled to name him our 2018 Spokesbaby," Partyka said. "Every year, we choose the baby who best exemplifies Gerber's longstanding heritage of recognizing that every baby is a Gerber baby, and this year, Lucas is the perfect fit."
For 90 years, the charcoal drawing of the original Gerber baby, Ann Turner Cook, has been recognized worldwide. In 2011, the company launched a contest to find its next Gerber baby.
Winning the contest comes with a $50,000 prize, which the Warrens say they will put toward Lucas' education, the New York Post reported.