'Wil Can Fly' photos honor boy with Down Syndrome

Alan Lawrence, a photographer and father of six from Utah, has posted some amazing photos of his son soaring over a corn maze, gliding over the waters of San Francisco and eating an ice cream from the air.

Lawrence says his two-year-old son Wil is "blessed with Down Syndrome and the ability of flight."

When Wil was a baby, he used to wiggle his arms and feet in the air like he was trying to fly, Lawrence said.

"My family would always joke that he was trying so hard that one day he would start flying," Lawrence told USA TODAY Network.

He decided to make Wil's flight a reality by using Photoshop to create images of Wil hovering above places the family has visited.

The series of images, called 'Wil Can Fly', are part of a 2016 calendar, with half the proceeds from sales donated to two Down Syndrome foundations. The series serves as a reminder that people with Down Syndrome can do anything they set their minds to, Lawrence says.

Lawerence said the photo series has helped him share his son's story and connect with other parents who are going through emotions that can surround parenting a child with Down Syndrome.

"I had struggled when I found out Wil had Down Syndrome and these photos are a celebration and illustrate the joy we have with him," he said. "I've had a lot of father's and mother's reach out to me and say I appreciate your honesty."

Gallery: 'Wil Can Fly' 

Lawrence said Wil has taken the family on a journey into a world that he never would have explored.

"We've met so many people and families with older children and adults who have Down Syndrome and they have done incredible things," he said. "It gives me so much hope for the future because I know people with Down Syndrome have so much to offer."

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