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Josh Avis

@joshavis

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Living the dream with @heatheravis & @theluckyfewofficial #TheLuckyFew. Shifting the narrative for an inclusive world ⬇️

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My dad passed away peacefully today at home, with my mom and brother by his side. After a long battle with Parkinson’s, he is finally free.

These last few years were exceptionally hard, but I’m so grateful for the sweet moments I had with him in his final days. Some dear friends who have lost their dads encouraged me to sit with him and say everything I wanted to say.

And I did.

I got to tell him what a good father, husband, and grandfather he was. That he showed me what it means to love your family, serve others, make sacrifices, work hard, stay humble, be kind, and show up.

My dad was always the quiet servant, holding us all together.

I love you, Dad. I'm heartbroken you're gone, but I'll see you on the other side. by @joshavis

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9 days ago

What a gift we get to spend a lifetime celebrating Down syndrome! How lucky are we? #theluckyfew #wdsd23 by @joshavis

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4 years ago

Love you Dave! The universe reminded me of you today - the day of your service what a beautiful human you are. I love you my brother. by @joshavis

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4 years ago

Dave,

I love you. I am so so sorry. I don’t understand. I can’t. Nope. Come on.

We text on Friday. We had plans. We had plans this week Dave. Why did this happen.

Dave, its a gift we met in 2016 and you became an instant brother to me. A hero to me really. You know how much I looked up to you.

I will always look up to you Dave.

There’s a few lines from my favorite Sleeping At Last song that say…

You taught me the courage of stars before you left
How light carries on endlessly, even after death
With shortness of breath
You explained the infinite
And how rare and beautiful it is to even exist.

Dave, your llght will carry on in my life. I am not sure there is a more encouraging person I have in my life that lifted me up, that cheered me on, that challenged me and made me laugh so hard. So many long talks about life, faith, fatherhood, pain, relationships, work, and courage.

So many good memories Dave.

Do you remember when I made you late to one of your premiers because I got lost in LA?

Vacations together. Birthdays. Christmas parties. Trips to Sun Dance. Park City. Weird Counting Crows concerts. Palms Springs. San Diego, Hawaii. Endless times of joy and some tears and hope.

Star Wars x 2.

Meeting Al Gore with you. 😆

I remember all the babies Dave. Hard conversations about adoption and fostering.

I was with you when you got the call about bringing Noah home. ❤️

Mexico Dave. Ugh. 😩

Summer Tours.

Joining the board.

Dave, all of it is a gift to me. You are a gift to me and so many. We had plans this year.

Patty and David. I am so so deeply sorry.

Rachel, Jackson, Sawyer, Ford and Noah. I love you and I am so so sorry.

Heidi, I am so so deeply sorry.

To all of the community mourning and grieving I am sorry. Dave you loved us so well.

I am sorry. 💔 by @joshavis

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4 years ago

Merry Christmas y’all by @joshavis

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4 years ago

HBD to this amazing human @heatheravis

You are the best adventure of my life. Every time you say “lets!”… I am down!

Let’s get married.
Let’s move to Hawaii!
Let’s buy a house next to my parents.
Let’s get a puppy.
Let’s start a family!
Let’s move to LA!
Let’s travel the world!
Let’s launch into the advocacy space!
Let’s start a hashtag called #theluckyfew
Let’s grow our family again!
Let’s move again.
Let’s not move anymore.
Let’s buy this house I found at a yard sale!
Let’s start Happy Hour With Heather
Let’s jump into publishing
Let’s celebrate being a New York time best selling author.
Let’s tour the country!
Let’s party!
Let’s….

Everytime. I’m in. I love you. Let’s keep going! by @joshavis

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4 years ago

Hey everyone, my dad is doing better. He is home recovering and learning to walk with a dang walker.

Life continues to be tough on this guy as he is sorting out how to manage so many different medications while fighting the unpredictability of Parkinson’s. Ugh, I hate this so much for him! It has literally robbed him of so much and yet he never complains (well almost never). I love this guy so much!

Thanks friends for your prayers and notes the last few weeks. Please continue to lift up my mom the full-time caregiver for my dad. She is the ever-faithful, never off duty always giving in order to keep this guy going. ❤️ by @joshavis

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4 years ago

Hey friends. This is my dad. Please pray for him.

He’s in the hospital right now fighting an infection as well as trying to heal from a recent fall. His vitals are steady right now but dang this time in the hospital is scary.

For the last 14 years Parkinson’s has stolen his life in the most heartbreaking ways. This devastating disease takes and takes and takes. This photo reminds me of the guy who raised me and my brother, the guy who worked the same damn job for 45+ years, the guy who has been married to my mom for 50+ years. He’s a good one and I am grieving for him.

Please send some healing prayers and peace his way.

Today and a gift, hug your people, be present, cherish your health and love on those who need a little love today. ❤️ by @joshavis

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4 years ago

Friends! For months I couldn’t wait to share…@gapkids launched their back to school campaign inspired by @heatheravis children’s book “Everyone Belongs.” Never before has a cast of @gapkids represented disability in this way. I’m humbled and thrilled. So let’s do this! Let’s step into this next school year one step closer to creating spaces where everyone belongs. #gapkidsbelong #gapkids #gap #everyonebelongs #everyonebelongsbook #shouttheirworth #shiftnarratives #narrativeshifter #theluckyfew by @joshavis

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4 years ago

To know Tru is to experience the mountain top! Spend some time with this beautiful soul and you will see!

This weekend we celebrated Tru’s 11th birthday!

What a gift this child is! She is talented, spicy, so smart, so kind, so fun, so hard and so loved.

I cannot wait to see what’s in store for this girl. Dang it’s going to be good because it’s already good.

#trulystar
#theluckyfew by @joshavis

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5 years ago

Happy World Down Syndrome Day y’all! If you know you know. Down syndrome is an asset, it’s a gift. Period. Raise your hand if you know someone with DS, shout their worth today and tell the world their story!

Oh and go watch our first ever short documentary film that dropped today. Produced by @theluckyfewfoundation. Link in bio.

#theluckyfew
#wdsd22
#thisisdownsyndrome by @joshavis

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5 years ago

If you know our family, you know World Down Syndrome Day is a day to celebrate!

This Monday we have a ton to celebrate. The five year anniversary of @heatheravis first book (The Lucky Few), the launch of our new non-profit @TheLuckyFewFoundation and our first short film!   Quick backstory…Last year, we decided to tell a bigger, more inclusive Down syndrome story with our global storytelling project called This is Down Syndrome. So far, we’ve told over 150 stories using photography, and on World Down Syndrome Day, we’ll be releasing our very first story in a short documentary film format. I cannot be more proud of this work and the message it brings to the world.

Here’s the thing, we (The Lucky Few Foundation) understand how important stories are in strengthening our collective humanity, and we are so honored and thrilled to get to tell some of the best stories out there.

These stories work to connect the world through compassion that is sowed when we see an individual over a diagnosis. Because knowing and understanding Down syndrome is not the same as knowing and understanding a person with Down syndrome.

This is our official trailer and Monday we release LaTasha’s Story into the world. I would be so stoked if you could reshare this post and the post to come on Monday.

#theluckyfew
#downsyndrome
#thisisdownsyndrome
#wdsd22

🎥Big thanks and credit is due to Bridget Henderson (Producer) and her team in Austin as well as Lee Rothenflue @cut2black for making this idea a reality. by @joshavis

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5 years ago