Board Spotlight – Meet Danny

dannyDSL Board Vice-President

“Everything will come. It will come slowly, but it will come fully.” – Steve Swan, September 2015.

I’m from Frankfort, Madisonville, and Louisville, Kentucky. I’m also from Boston, MA. I was born or grew up in some way in each of those places. But I really finished growing up when I met my daughter on the Stansifer Avenue Exit off of I-65 in Southern Indiana in September 2015.

So the technical part: born in the late Carter Administration in Frankfort. My dad got laid off when a new governor came to town, and we moved in 1982 to Madisonville, where all the Slatons have lived since the 1790s. My mom missed Louisville enough that we moved here in 1989. 

While I was in high school, my friend’s dad, a chef in a Spanish restaurant at the time, asked me to wash dishes in his kitchen—I said yes, and after a month, the sous chef left, and I got to start making my way up the food chain in the kitchen. When I left Louisville in the late 1990s, I was the sous chef. I took those skills to Boston, and worked in a few kitchens, from sports bars to fine French dining. I got my college degree up there, but I continued my culinary career. 

When I moved back to Louisville in 2004, I struggled to find work in kitchens – you have to know somebody, and everybody I knew in kitchens was 900 miles away and pronounced car as ‘cah.’ So, I promptly got into politics working for a lobbyist. That ended up being a career snowball, and I’m still doing it all these years later. 

As that career was getting off the ground, I met Elizabeth, my wife, and we fell in love pretty quickly. It’s a longer story, but you’ll have to buy me dinner to get all the details.

We had our son Henry in 2011, and then we got pregnant with his sister, Lila, in 2015. We opted to do as little testing as possible, so when she was born in the front seat of our car on the way to the hospital, we didn’t even know she had Down syndrome. I caught her on her way into the world and held her while I drove us all to the ER. As it became clearer that she was different, the excitement/trauma of the car delivery quickly took a back seat, and we started to wrap our heads around what Down Syndrome was, and how it would change our child’s trajectory. It was a hard few days, but there were several points of light that led us out of the worried wilderness.

First, DSL sent us the care basket while we were still there at the hospital. I never knew how much something like that would mean to me, and to my wife. It was the first instance when we knew we were not alone on this journey. 

Second, my wife’s uncle, Steve Swan, told me something that changed and ultimately calmed my worried mind. He is close to the DeSanctis family, and was involved with DSL in its early days and has been an advocate for people with Down Syndrome, especially in education settings. 

The day after we got home from the hospital, while we were still trying to figure out how to breastfeed a child with Down Syndrome, Steve and his wife Julie came over. I wasn’t quite ready to really talk about it all, but he said something that I know I’ll never forget – something that still makes me cry happy tears when I say it in my head. Lila was in his lap, laying there with her low tone muscles following gravity wherever it led, looking up at Steve. He told me “Everything will come. It will come slowly, but it will come fully.” 

I’ve learned a lot since then, but those words still guide me. It’s part of why I was excited to join the Board. I want to share the calm I found from hearing Steve say those words to me – I wanted to give another young family the confidence he gave me. 

 

Tagged Items:

Similar Articles

DSL launches new App!

We are so excited to launch our new app for our families, friends & supporters! Why an App? Currently, we rely on many different types of communication including emails, social media posts, etc. which can create a scattered and disjointed experience for our families. A Mobile app allows us to consistently reach all families- despite […]

Read More

Meet our 2023 Annual Award Winners…

Joseph O. Thomas Volunteer Award goes to Pam Taylor – For extraordinary volunteer service to Down Syndrome of Louisville. “Pam has been dedicating her time and talents to DSL for many years She unselfishly gives of her time. Her hours devoted behind the scenes would be impossible to add up!” “Pam is always willing to help […]

Read More

DSL Executive Director Named 2023 “Most Admired Woman”

We are thrilled to announce that Julie Torzewski, Executive Director at Down Syndrome of Louisville, has been honored as Today’s Woman Magazine’s “Most Admired Woman” in the category of “Community and Sisterhood”! Julie’s  dedication and passion for advocating for individuals with Down syndrome and their families have made her an inspiring leader. She has transformed […]

Read More

Celebrating Love and Generosity: Tommy and Jennifer Lankswert’s Wedding Donation to Down Syndrome of Louisville

Love has the power to bring people together and inspire acts of kindness. In a heartwarming gesture, Tommy and Jennifer Lankswert recently celebrated their marriage by making a remarkable decision. Instead of asking for traditional wedding gifts, they chose to support a cause close to their hearts: Down Syndrome of Louisville. This selfless act not […]

Read More

Kindness Warriors Training at Amazon Fosters Inclusivity

Recently, Down Syndrome of Louisville visited Amazon to conduct Kindness Warrior Training for some of their SDF9 leaders. The Kindness Warrior training is a unique and inclusive etiquette program aimed at fostering empathy, respect, and kindness. Kindness Warrior Training: Cultivating Empathy and Inclusion Kindness Warrior Training is an innovative program designed to equip individuals from […]

Read More

Embracing Diversity and Empowering Voices: Actors Theatre’s Commitment to Inclusion

In the pursuit of fostering inclusivity and giving voice to underrepresented communities, Actors Theatre of Louisville has taken a significant step by hiring disabled teaching artists to work with a diverse group of students. Among these exceptional individuals are Madeline Franklin and Megan Mudd, who bring their unique perspectives and talents to the forefront, creating […]

Read More

Celebrating World Down Syndrome Day with the Lucky Few Tattoo Event

World Down Syndrome Day is a special occasion that brings together communities worldwide to raise awareness, celebrate individuals with Down syndrome, and promote inclusion. At Down Syndrome of Louisville (DSL), we wanted to mark this significant day in a unique and meaningful way- and this year marked the first annual Lucky Few Tattoo event. In […]

Read More

With help of DSL Board Member, Danny Slaton, Kentucky Passes Nondiscrimination Organ Transplant Bill (HB238)

May 1st: The Bill is signed and it’s now official! Thank you Governor Andy Beshear, #TeamKentucky, and Danny Slaton for this HUGE step forward! DSL advocated for this legislation to prevent discrimination based solely on disability in the organ transplantation process for people with Down syndrome and other disabilities should they experience discrimination. Governor Beshear said […]

Read More

Grant Gupton and Macy Knights Honorary Captains at Racing

🎉 We are thrilled to share that two of our own, Grant Gupton and Macy Knights from Down Syndrome of Louisville, were recently named honorary captains for Racing Louisville women’s football team! 🏆 As honorary captains, they were featured on the jumbotron and  given the incredible opportunity to attend the team’s training and experience the […]

Read More

Gary Palmisano, VP of Racing at Churchill Downs, 2023 Gallop Gala Friendship Award Winner

Each year our Friendship Award is presented to an organization or individual who has shown an exceptional level of support for DSL. This year’s recipient doesn’t have a family member with Down syndrome. But he has a can-do attitude, a kind personality, and a big heart, especially for our amazing members. He has been unbelievably […]

Read More

Down Syndrome of Louisville Raises $270,822 at 12th Annual Gallop Gala

Photo by Bill Wine Photography   LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Down Syndrome of Louisville’s (DSL) 12th Annual Gallop Gala commenced Friday night at the Galt House Hotel with $270,822 raised to help support the world’s largest and most advanced regional Down syndrome community that serves 24 counties throughout Kentucky and southern Indiana. The funds raised will benefit DSL’s mission […]

Read More

DSL Advocating in Washington, DC

Down Syndrome of Louisville members, Lucas Fortwengler and Chris Payne are attending the 2023 NDSS Advocacy Conference on March 17-19 in Washington DC along with Board Vice-President, Danny Slaton, and Executive Director, Julie Torzewski. They will be learning about all of the legislative priorities on the Down syndrome community on the hill and then advocating […]

Read More
Translate our Site »