Meet the Father Giving His Kids with Down Syndrome a Great Start in Life

The loving father of ten is instilling important life lessons in his children.

When Joel Wegener’s daughter Mary Kate informed him that working alongside him was her goal, the loving father of ten did everything he could to make it happen. Wegener established “Special Neat Treats” in the spring of 2021 with his two adult children who have Down syndrome.

The siblings and their father are making the rounds in their neighborhood, spreading much-needed joy and ice cream. Indeed, the sweets have proven to be so popular that the family has sold almost 5,000 ice cream treats to date.

While the ice cream truck is profitable, it is much more than that:

In an interview with the Le Jeune Foundation, Wegener said, “It’s about an experience for everyone, but to give my kids something to do and show other parents maybe there is something creative, out of the box that we can come up with for our family and for our kids to do.”

And they’re making a big difference. The Wegeners are not only motivating other families in their neighborhood who may be suffering similar problems with their children, but they are also providing their community an opportunity to give their support.

Josh and Mary-Kate are thrilled to be able to work with their father. He’s taught them the fundamentals of customer service while also allowing them to grow independence in the safety of a family company.

The family is now aiming to grow their company by adding more vehicles to their fleet and spreading even more awareness and delectable sweet delights.