Sarah Palin most often makes news for bashing Levi Johnston, giving props to Carrie Prejean, sitting in $2,000 seats at Yankee Stadium despite describing herself as an average hockey mom, talking about seeing Russia from Alaska or some nonsense.
But there was no controversy to be found Sunday when the Alaska Governor paid a visit to Long Island, N.Y., to speak about the joys of raising her son Trig.
Trig Palin, 1, was born with Down syndrome.
“We are just so blessed to have this child in our lives,” Palin said before a crowd of about 1,000 people. “What God has shown us with Trig in our lives is ‘Yes, every single person has purpose no matter their developmental abilities.'”
Also at the fundraiser for Independent Group Home Living, which supports children and adults with developmental disabilities – were Palin’s husband, Todd; their daughter Willow, 14; and Palin’s sister Heather Bruce and her autistic son Karcher, 14.
“Having a son being born with Down syndrome is a whole new chapter of our lives,” Sarah Palin said, her voice wavering slightly as she continued:
“I tell Todd that God has blessed us, and we don’t ask, ‘Why me? Why us?’ We say at this point, finally – and to be honest with you it’s taken a while for us to get to this point – ‘Thank you, God for allowing us to recognize the special needs community.'”
“Without Trig this would be absent from us. I am at a point in my life of thanking God for blessing us with this bundle of joy, this typical rowdy 1-year-old.”
Palin, in a black and white layered skirt and a black sweater set, arrived to a cheering crowd, and spoke to a group who yelled for her to stop for a chat.
The former Republican nominee for Vice President reiterated a pledge she made during the 2008 election campaign to help those with disabilities.
“Just because our ticket placed second, second out of two,” the 45-year-old mother of five said, jokingly, “you still have an advocate for the cause.”
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