His majesty the king

Luverne's touching story replayed
in media from coast to coast
By Lori Ehde
He’s not quite king of the world, but it’s safe to say Luverne homecoming king Andrew Dooyema feels on top of the world.
Since KELO-TV aired a feature story on Andrew’s homecoming reign last week, the story landed on the Associated Press wire, and newspapers nationwide reprinted the touching story of a Down’s syndrome boy whose dream came true.
Andrew prefers to downplay the fact that his disability has anything to do with his new-found fame. In fact, he’d rather not talk about it at all.
He’d rather just bask in the limelight.
When asked how it feels to know his name has been printed in major newspapers from coast to coast, he said slyly, "There’s a lot of girls in all those states."
By all reports, Andrew was crowned homecoming king by his Luverne peers because they thought he best exemplified Cardinal spirit.
"I have a lot of spirit," said Andrew, a loyal Cardinal sports fan. "A good spirit, too. I’m into spirit."
The fact that his peers could see that spirit through the disability is what caught the attention of the nation.
Both the Dooyema home and the high school have been flooded with cards, letters, phone calls and e-mail from New York, California, Louisiana and countless states in between.
Correspondence to the school has been to congratulate Andrew on his coronation and the student body for crowning him.
"It’s amazing to me how this touches not only our community, but it touches people throughout the world," said High School Principal Gary Fisher.
On Tuesday, Minnesota Sen. Paul Wellstone called with his regards. High School Guidance Counselor Craig Nelson spoke with the senator and issued school-wide e-mail.
"Sen. Paul Wellstone called this morning and expressed how proud he was of our students for electing Andrew as homecoming king," Nelson said in the e-mail. "He said this was really neat and a great reflection on our school and community."
Much of the Dooyema mail found its way to 517 North Freeman without a complete address, but it didn’t take local postal handlers long to figure out where it belonged.
Many were addressed to Mr. Andrew Dooyema, Homecoming King" or "Andrew the King Dooyema" or simply, "King Andrew. One envelope from Amarillo, Texas, was addressed to "His Royal Majesty Andrew Dooyema."
All these writers sent their congratulations after reading about Andrew in their own city papers.
Many of the cards and letters are accompanied by newspaper clippings of Andrew’s story. In the margins of one clipping were the handwritten words, "King Andrew, I know you will accomplish everything you attempt."
Copies of some major publications are making their way to Andrew. For example, a woman in Baton Rouge, La., called the Dooyemas and volunteered to send them her paper.
"Andrew took a call from Washington, and when he got off the phone, we asked if it was Washington state or Washington, D.C., and he said he hoped it was D.C. because maybe the president would invite him to the White House," his mother said.
When the Dallas paper called, Andrew said, ‘Maybe the Dallas Cowboys will pick me up.’ "
The spirit that earned Andrew his homecoming crown is becoming a shining beacon for other families affected by Down’s syndrome.
"The neatest call we got was from a woman in Rochester, N.Y., who has an 18-month-old Down’s baby," Pam said. "And she called to say how uplifting it was for her to see where Andrew is now."
While Andrew doesn’t want to talk about his disability, his mother reminds him that’s what it’s all about.
"You’ve been an inspiration to them, Andrew," she gently told him Tuesday afternoon.
"This is what we were hoping would come from this," Pam told the Star Herald Monday.
She said she knows how the woman in New York feels. "Seventeen years ago we would have never thought this would be possible," she said.
"I can’t say we didn’t wish he hadn’t been born this way, but over the past few years I’ve seen Andrew with Down’s touch people in a way that Andrew without Down’s never could."
She urges people to consider how things that happen to them today play a major role in who they are in the future.
"We couldn’t see it when he was born, but I’m starting to see God had a much bigger plan for Andrew. Look how many people he’s touched with his story," Pam said.
"I know there are women who abort babies with Down’s syndrome. I guess all I can say is you never know what God’s plans are for you."
The AP version of Andrew’s story can be read online at www.wire.ap.org.