Father to run Boston Marathon in honor of his unborn daughter with Down syndrome

A father will run the Boston Marathon in honor of his unborn daughter who has been diagnosed with Down syndrome, ABC News reported.

Oliver and Kinnon Foley of Charlestown, Massachusetts, are expecting their first child, a daughter they have named Tenley, in less than a month.

Tenley was diagnosed with Down syndrome when Kinnon Foley was 11 weeks pregnant.

"About six weeks after the diagnosis, the idea struck me — this would be my best opportunity to run a marathon," Oliver Foley told ABC News.

Oliver Foley is raising funds for the Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress, an organization that connects families of children with Down syndrome with other families and resources regarding the condition.

"You can ask any questions at all," Kinnon Foley said. "It's completely non-judgy and an incredible resource."

Oliver Foley told WBZ-TV that “they have the perspective that this isn’t something to be sad about.”

“Your life and the lives of your friends and family will be enriched by your daughter,” he added.

His initial fundraising goal was $15,000, but with days to go before the race next week, he has already exceeded $62,000.

He told ABC that he is also running in honor of his wife’s late uncle Chris McCall, who also had Down syndrome. McCall died in 2012.

"I was very close to him," Kinnon Foley said. "He was the most wonderful, loving, kind person. He brought incredible joy to his siblings and profoundly affected my mom and dad's lives."

She added that “the world has changed dramatically” for people with Down syndrome since McCall was born.

"It was unusual that my grandparents would take him home and raise him,” Kinnon Foley said. “But they became huge advocates for people with D.S., and in many ways, Chris paved the way for Tenley."

Tenley’s due date is May 3, which is also her great-uncle's birthday.

Asked about their hopes for Tenley, her parents said that “we want her to feel like she can achieve anything.”

"We know she'll change people's perceptions about what it means to have Down syndrome," Oliver Foley said.

Kinnon Foley added, "What we want for her is nothing different than what any parent wants for any child. We want her to feel happy and loved by her community."

Watch below via WBZ: