Broadway lights shine on two from suburbs

Katelyn Grunewald of Palatine felt like a celebrity last spring when she attended the Lake Zurich High School prom, with her date, Garrett Anderson of Lake Zurich.

That turns out to be just the start for the whirlwind couple. On Sunday, they saw their names and photo up in lights on Broadway, amid the hustle and bustle of Times Square, no less.

Their photo was selected from more than 2,500 entries to appear in a video production, shown on Times Square's larger-than-life Panasonic Astrovision screen.

Officials with the National Down Syndrome Society coordinated the video to illustrate children, teens, and adults with Down syndrome going about their regular, every day life. In other words, playing, working and learning with family and friends.

The video was timed to kick off National Down Syndrome Awareness Month, which is this month. The awareness campaign also starts off each year with the "Buddy Walk," held in 275 cities across the country.

In New York, Katelyn and Garrett and their families joined the walk that took place in Central Park, and was led by actor John C. McGinley, who plays Dr. Perry Cox in the NBC show, "Scrubs." McGinley has a 9-year-old son with Down syndrome.

He was joined by Chris Burke, the actor with Down syndrome who starred in the groundbreaking ABC series, "Life Goes On."

It turns out that Katelyn and Garrett are some pretty good role models themselves.

Katelyn is a junior at Palatine High School, after attending Lincoln Elementary School and Sundling Junior High School, both in Palatine. She competes in Special Olympics and is involved in clubs like the Best Buddies and PEP squad at school.

This past summer she held down a part time job at K & M Printing in Schaumburg, working in the bindery.

"She's a pretty typical teenager -- right down to the boyfriend," quips her mother, Peggy, who is an active member of Ups for DownS, or United Parent Support for Down Syndrome.

Garrett, meantime, graduated from Lake Zurich High School -- where he was a member of the National Honor Society and graduated 74th out of a class or more than 500 -- and now attends Harper College.

He drives a car, sings a mean Italian aria, and enjoys going to school so much he hopes to one day become a teacher. Garrett is a sought-after motivational speaker, with his speech, entitled: "My Life's Experiences -- and I'm Just Getting Started."