Former child star from the television show Life Goes On, Chris Burke will appear in an all-school convocation at Hoosier Road Elementary Friday, October 5, at 2 p.m. Chris was the young actor with Down syndrome who played the character Corky on the ABC series.
The Hoosier Road performance will also feature Joe and John DeMasi, award-winning professional musicians, identical twins and life-long friends of Burke.
The show brings an inspiring message about inclusion and ability awareness. The three have recorded four albums and lent celebrity support to several summer performing arts programs for people with disabilities. They have also received numerous awards from ARC’s and Down syndrome organizations throughout the country for their work. The three have appeared on numerous national and local T.V. shows including Good Morning America, Crook and Chase and Entertainment Tonight. Burke has also starred in a made-for-television movie called Jonathan, The Boy Nobody Wanted; appeared in a T.V. mini series called Heaven and Hell; and has had guest starring roles in The Commish, The Promised Land, The Division and ER.
When not on the road performing, Burke works for the National Down Syndrome Society as the editor in chief of Upbeat, a quarterly news magazine, which is written by and for people with Down syndrome. He co-authored a book about his life published in 1992 called A Special Kind of Hero, received a Christopher Award along with Steven Spielberg for his work as an actor and has even had a New York City public school named in his honor!
