For parents, the birth of a child is supposed to be a joyful occasion. Unfortunately for Magda and Russel Newman, their reality is far from that. Accordingly, soon after the child of the woman named Magda and her husband was born, they realized something was wrong when the medical team had a shocked expression.
“What’s wrong? I want to see the baby” – Magda told the doctor. However, they did not give her any answer.
Rare syndrome has caused the boy’s face to be disfigured since birth
Finally, after a thorough examination, doctors came to the conclusion that her baby had Treacher Collins syndrome. As a result, Magda’s baby was just born without cheekbones, upper and lower eyelids and had a somewhat unusual face.
Although extremely shocked to learn of their son’s condition, the Magda couple said: “We decided that the boy would become beautiful not because of his appearance but because of his personality. He would become a person. good.”
Difficult journey
Adjusting to life with baby Nathaniel diagnosed with Treacher Collins can be an incredibly difficult task. Despite the determination and positivity, many times Nathaniel’s parents are still extremely heartbroken when they know what their child has to endure.
Nathaniel’s parents try to cheer and encourage their son all the time
Accordingly, to meet his physical and medical needs, including breathing and eating difficulties, Nathaniel has had to undergo countless surgeries since the age of 1. Fortunately, the boy’s cognitive functions were not affected and he has the ability to think like any other child.
After a few years, Jacob, Nathaniel’s younger brother, was born and became inseparable from his brother. However, Nathaniel soon realized the difference between himself and his brother when he always received discriminatory looks or even screams when he appeared. Even at school, some children called him “monster” which made him extremely upset.
The younger brother Jacob is always ready to protect his brother
Despite the hurtful words and looks, Nathaniel’s family always protects him from negativity. Little brother Jacob always accompanies and protects his brother at all times.
“Growing up with a brother with this disease forced me to grow up. I had to protect Nathaniel when we were young. I was his bodyguard.” – Jacob shared.
The magic book that changes everything
In 2012, a book titled “Wonder” about Nathaniel’s story was published and received well. The book’s influence inspired Nathaniel and his mother Magda to create two books in 2020 based on Nathaniel’s story, both titled Normal, but told from two different perspectives.
In 2017, the novel “Wonder” was adapted into a film and marked a moment that changed Nathaniel’s life. The movie changed everyone’s perception of him, making them treat Nathaniel more gently and sympathetically.
Nathaniel’s Story Reimagined in the Movie “Wonder”
“I was 8 years old when it was born and it changed everything. It spread a lot of little known things about facial differences. People became more open-minded. Now, at school, I get treated equally like everyone else. Everyone is really nice.” Nathaniel confirmed.
Currently, at the age of 19, the “miracle” boy’s life has also changed a lot. Nathaniel Newman is now said to be able to participate in activities that were once out of his reach after having several more surgeries.
Nathaniel and his loving family
Besides, on his personal page, in addition to the updates about the surgery, Nathaniel also shows many pictures of him participating in group activities with friends such as hiking, taking the dog for a walk. ,…
It can be seen that, although not fortunate to be as healthy as friends of the same age, with love and resilience, until now, Nathaniel’s story is still inspiring and changing the perception of many people. People.
Source: Bright Side
