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It's a father's story of life with a son born with Down Syndrome.

"Think of Me First as a Person," a compilation of Dwight Core's home movies from 1960-1975, was chosen Wednesday to become part of the film archive in the Library of Congress. It's one of 25 films honored in the 2006 National Film Registry.

"The film was started by my father 40 years ago and finished by my son. My father died in 1995 and my brother, Dwight, lives with my sister, Cindy," said Patricia [Core] Ingmire-Richard, who lives in Virginia Beach.

Her son, George, recovered the collection of films from his grandfather's attic and created the film in loving tribute to the family.

When Dwight Core, Jr. was born in Norfolk, hospital staff told his parents he was retarded and that he should be institutionalized. They said no.

"My dad truly loved his family and it shows in the hours of home movies," Ingmire-Richard said.

Documented in frame after frame of film, you see the joys of having such a son. In his narration, Core Sr. tells of the heartbreak, too.  "When my sister takes me to the playground and other children call me names, she cries and takes me home."

Dwight Jr. and his sister, Cindy Klingler, just a year apart in age, were inseperable as kids. Then, Dwight was sent to Lynchburg Training Center.

“We hated having him go, but there were few options back then," she said. "You didn't keep 'em home. There wasn't any educational program available at that time. I know they had to struggle with it."

Dwight Sr. compiled those early home movies, pleading for others to see his son as the family did -- to see him first as a person.

10 years after his death, grandson George found the films and put the final touches on them.

“He wanted to preserve them. That's when he decided he would edit them and have them digitized and originally it was going to be a Christmas gift for each of my family members to do a DVD."

It turned out to be much more than a family gift. It's now a story they share with the world.

"I'm sure he's in heaven right now, just thrilled to pieces that his film is in the National Film Registry and his grandson made that possible."