This is John! He's a 7-year-old boy with a tenacious love for life.
Born premature, a twin, and at 26 weeks, he weighed a whopping 2 pounds, 6 ounces. Spending close to 100 days in the NICU, we knew he was a fighter.
He was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy Diplegia at 18 months. Despite his disability, he has always had a happy disposition and continuously wears a smile on his face. His smile is infectious, and he has a heart as big as the moon.
He was determined to walk like his twin brother Austin! After a few rounds of therapy at the age of two and a half, he was ready to get up off the floor and walk on his walker. There was no stopping him then.
Last year, John had a life changing surgery that will allow him to eventually walk without any devices! John has worked tirelessly through multiple physical therapy sessions to strengthen his muscles. He's involved in Hippo Therapy (horseback riding) and has also been a member of Michigan Adaptive Sports, which has allowed him to downhill ski this past winter and kayak and water ski this past August.
He loves cars, keys, music and ID cards. He is a very silly, comical kid, is a joy to be around and he is our family’s hero.