When doctors asked the parents-to-be if they wanted to get rid of their “deformed” baby, they said no. You have to see how their little boy looks now, after two years.
Sara Heller and her partner, Chris Eidam, were excited to have a child together. At their 24-week ultrasound, everything turned upside down. The couple from Omaha, Nebraska, had the same worry that most parents-to-be do: What if there is something wrong with the baby? A lot of people worry about this when they’re pregnant, but for this couple, it wasn’t just nerves or anxiety — it was the truth.
Something was wrong with their baby, which made doctors wonder if Sara and Chris wanted to have an abortion on their son, whom they were going to name Brody. During the routine ultrasound, a problem was found that the doctors told the parents-to-be about. Brody had a split lip and palate on both sides.
After explaining the situation to Sara and Chris and telling them that Brody would be born with a deformity that could cause health problems, the doctor asked the parents if they wanted to abort the baby or think about other options. Brody’s parents didn’t give up on him right away, which was a good thing.
Sara and Chris didn’t have to think about whether or not they would keep their son. They wanted their baby, and it didn’t matter to them that he didn’t look like other kids. They were ready to deal with whatever problems Brody might have because of his condition and give him all the help and love he needed.
Sara Heller and Chris Eidam also decided to do everything they could for their son. They also wanted to let other parents know about birth defects and deformities, in case they had to deal with the same problems they did. “It’s fine to be proud of your child no matter what,
“We wanted to change the way our ultrasound, newborn, and first-year photos looked on Facebook and Instagram. We wanted more people to know about cleft lips and palates,” Sara said. She has done just that by posting photos of Brody on social media with a lot of pride over the first few years of his life.
Sara Heller has gotten a lot of messages from people asking what’s wrong with little Brody’s face. Instead of being upset about this, she uses it as a chance to teach others. “I chose to teach Brody instead of making a fight because that’s what I want him to do in the future,” Sara said. “I’ll want him to teach and speak up for younger kids with cleft palates who don’t yet have their own voice.”
But not all of my experiences have been bad. Instead, Sara has seen many good things happen. In fact, a stranger once gave her a folded piece of paper in a restaurant that turned out to be a $1,000 check. Today says that in the memo line, it said “For the beautiful baby.” Sara was moved to tears by the act.
Since Brody’s condition does require extra care—cleft lips and a cleft palate can make it hard for a baby to eat, drink, smile, talk, and sometimes even breathe—Sara and Chris put the money toward Brody’s medical bills and the surgeries he needs to fix his condition.
Even though Brody will probably need more surgeries in the future, he is a happy and content little boy who has healed well from the ones he has already had. If his parents hadn’t chosen him because of how he looked, he wouldn’t be here to inspire other people. His parents knew that a child is more than just what they look like and that problems are meant to be solved.