Indiana University Athletics
A Special Bond Between Brother and Sister
10/29/2017 5:05:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Junior Jessica Admire has a special relationship with her brother Joey.
In the summer, the two camp out on the floor, put a towel down and eat pizza and watch Disney movies together.
Joey is full of energy and is someone who makes you feel better when you are having a bad day. He loves music, pizza and going to baseball, football and volleyball games.
"He is a total love bug," Admire said. "He loves to cuddle and give hugs."
Joey has been through significant challenges in his life.
He was born on Oct. 23, 2003 with a large hole in his heart. At birth, he was very blue and his family found out he had down syndrome.
It was also discovered Joey needed open heart surgery, but before he could go into surgery he was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis and put into Riley Hospital for Children.
In the moment, Admire, six years older than Joey, said it was incredibly scary and stressful. Admire's parents Beth and Jim spent a lot of time at the Hospital and her grandparents looked after her and her brother George.
The Admire family didn't know if Joey would make it, but they described him as a fighter and he emerged from surgery a healthy pink baby.
"He is a tough kid," Jim Admire said. "We always tell Jessica she is tough and a good athlete and so is George, but Joey is the tough one. He is a fighter.
Growing Up in the Admire House
The three Admire children grew up in a loving household. Jessica was the protective one and George would wrestle and rough house with Joey, much to his delight.
When Joey was learning how to swim Beth and Jessica would take turns carrying him around the pool with his water wings on. George came by and threw him in the pool, and Joey started swimming.
"Being the older sister that I am, I am very protective of Joey still to this day," Jessica said. "I am afraid to let him venture out and try new things because I'm afraid of him getting hurt. George is really trusting and it's just a little hard for me to let go of the reins a little bit with him."
The Admire family enjoyed going on trips and the parents recalled looking in the mirror and seeing their children in a big pile in the back seat laughing with each other.
Horseback riding, Wednesday night trips to Brick Oven Pizza in their hometown of Franklin, Ind., George's football and baseball games and Jessica's volleyball matches created fun times.
In the pool, the family coined the term "Joey Fishing," when only Joey will go into the pool and he would swim to the middle and the rest of the family will get noodles to bring him in.
A Positive Influence
If you ask people on the Indiana volleyball team, they will tell you Jessica is full of positivity and always there for her teammates. This is not surprising looking at her relationship with Joey.
"If you think I'm a positive person, hang out with Joey for five hours," she said. "Nothing really bothers him. He loves everyone he encounters. He is always determined and motivated and happy. When you are around someone like that you want to rise up and be like that as well."
"He is always there for you," she added. "If you are ever having a bad day you can walk through the front door and see him and hear him laughing and it can brighten any bad day."
Jessica will tell you she has learned a lot from Joey. She has learned not to get frustrated over the little things. Joey is learning to walk and talk and he doesn't complain. He doesn't give up, so Jessica said it makes her not give up. Jessica also said he teaches her the concept of patience and being patient in everyday life.
"I think our children have benefited tremendously from having Joey as their brother," Jim Admire said. "They learned early that things aren't just about them and it's about other people. Being there for each other is really important."
A Special Relationship
Jessica and Joey share a special bond. She said they don't ever fight. She also joked that she thinks George has a closer relationship with Joey.
Whether it's watching Disney movies or "Joey Fishing" Jessica values her relationship with Joey.
"Anyone who has a relationship with Joey has a special relationship," she said. "Luckily enough I happen to be his sister, so he likes me a little more than other people."
Jessica doesn't like to talk about what Joey can't do, instead she focuses on what he can do.
"People with down syndrome are capable of anything they want to be and anything they want to do," she said. "They are so loving and passionate."
A girl that went to school close to Jessica has a sister with down syndrome. She got a tattoo in Italian or Latin saying "everything perfect comes in threes," to indicate the extra chromosome that those with down syndrome carry.
Jessica said she couldn't agree more.
"Joey is the closest thing to perfect that I could ever come up with," she said. "If everyone could strive to be like him in every scenario the world would be a better place."
In the summer, the two camp out on the floor, put a towel down and eat pizza and watch Disney movies together.
Joey is full of energy and is someone who makes you feel better when you are having a bad day. He loves music, pizza and going to baseball, football and volleyball games.
"He is a total love bug," Admire said. "He loves to cuddle and give hugs."
Joey has been through significant challenges in his life.
He was born on Oct. 23, 2003 with a large hole in his heart. At birth, he was very blue and his family found out he had down syndrome.
It was also discovered Joey needed open heart surgery, but before he could go into surgery he was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis and put into Riley Hospital for Children.
In the moment, Admire, six years older than Joey, said it was incredibly scary and stressful. Admire's parents Beth and Jim spent a lot of time at the Hospital and her grandparents looked after her and her brother George.
The Admire family didn't know if Joey would make it, but they described him as a fighter and he emerged from surgery a healthy pink baby.
"He is a tough kid," Jim Admire said. "We always tell Jessica she is tough and a good athlete and so is George, but Joey is the tough one. He is a fighter.
Growing Up in the Admire House
The three Admire children grew up in a loving household. Jessica was the protective one and George would wrestle and rough house with Joey, much to his delight.
When Joey was learning how to swim Beth and Jessica would take turns carrying him around the pool with his water wings on. George came by and threw him in the pool, and Joey started swimming.
"Being the older sister that I am, I am very protective of Joey still to this day," Jessica said. "I am afraid to let him venture out and try new things because I'm afraid of him getting hurt. George is really trusting and it's just a little hard for me to let go of the reins a little bit with him."
The Admire family enjoyed going on trips and the parents recalled looking in the mirror and seeing their children in a big pile in the back seat laughing with each other.
Horseback riding, Wednesday night trips to Brick Oven Pizza in their hometown of Franklin, Ind., George's football and baseball games and Jessica's volleyball matches created fun times.
In the pool, the family coined the term "Joey Fishing," when only Joey will go into the pool and he would swim to the middle and the rest of the family will get noodles to bring him in.
A Positive Influence
If you ask people on the Indiana volleyball team, they will tell you Jessica is full of positivity and always there for her teammates. This is not surprising looking at her relationship with Joey.
"If you think I'm a positive person, hang out with Joey for five hours," she said. "Nothing really bothers him. He loves everyone he encounters. He is always determined and motivated and happy. When you are around someone like that you want to rise up and be like that as well."
"He is always there for you," she added. "If you are ever having a bad day you can walk through the front door and see him and hear him laughing and it can brighten any bad day."
Jessica will tell you she has learned a lot from Joey. She has learned not to get frustrated over the little things. Joey is learning to walk and talk and he doesn't complain. He doesn't give up, so Jessica said it makes her not give up. Jessica also said he teaches her the concept of patience and being patient in everyday life.
"I think our children have benefited tremendously from having Joey as their brother," Jim Admire said. "They learned early that things aren't just about them and it's about other people. Being there for each other is really important."
A Special Relationship
Jessica and Joey share a special bond. She said they don't ever fight. She also joked that she thinks George has a closer relationship with Joey.
Whether it's watching Disney movies or "Joey Fishing" Jessica values her relationship with Joey.
"Anyone who has a relationship with Joey has a special relationship," she said. "Luckily enough I happen to be his sister, so he likes me a little more than other people."
Jessica doesn't like to talk about what Joey can't do, instead she focuses on what he can do.
"People with down syndrome are capable of anything they want to be and anything they want to do," she said. "They are so loving and passionate."
A girl that went to school close to Jessica has a sister with down syndrome. She got a tattoo in Italian or Latin saying "everything perfect comes in threes," to indicate the extra chromosome that those with down syndrome carry.
Jessica said she couldn't agree more.
"Joey is the closest thing to perfect that I could ever come up with," she said. "If everyone could strive to be like him in every scenario the world would be a better place."
Players Mentioned
Right Side Hitter
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