Alex Simpson Nebraska woman born with no brain makes it to 20 years old as family credit love and faith for beating the odds.
A Nebraska woman born without a brain has defied the odds as she recently marked her 20th birthday — decades after the then baby girl’s parents were told their newborn would never make it to 5.
Alex Simpson of Omaha turned 20-years-old last week on Nov. 4, KETV reported.
Simpson’s parents, Shawn and Lorena were initially told that their newborn was a healthy child until a check-up two months later revealed that their daughter had hydranencephaly – a rare condition that left her with just a pinky’s worth of brain matter at the base of her skull.
Newborn born with rare birth defect survives the odds
At the time, the Nebraska family were told Alex’s rare birth defect would preclude her from living past 4 years old.
‘Twenty years ago we were scared, but faith, I think, is really what kept us alive,’ Shawn Simpson, Alex’s father, told the TV station.
Though Alex is missing the parts of the brain capable of seeing and hearing, her family believes she’s more aware than people think.
‘Say somebody’s stressed around her. Nothing will even happen — it could be completely silent — but Alex will know. She’ll feel something,’ SJ, Alex’s 14-year-old brother, told the outlet.
‘Like, if my grandma’s hurting, in her back, she’ll radiate off of it – it’s crazy,’ he said.
SJ said he is proud to be Alex’s brother and has spent a lot of time researching her condition to learn how to support her.
According to Cleveland Clinic Org, ‘Hydranencephaly is a rare birth defect that affects brain development. A baby with the condition is missing the cerebral hemispheres. Hydranencephaly causes an enlarged head and other serious symptoms. Some families consider therapeutic abortion because hydranencephaly is usually fatal within the first year of life.’
The power of love and faith
Scientists estimate that hydranencephaly occurs in one in 5,000 to one in 10,000 pregnancies, and the condition is usually fatal within the first year of life.
When asked why they believe Alex has lived so much longer than expected, both Shawn and Lorena said, ‘love.’
Shawn says that he credits ‘faith’ with helping their family through Alex’s initial diagnoses and beyond.
‘Twenty years ago, we were scared but faith, I think, is really what kept us alive,’ he said.
‘She’s a fighter,’ Lorena added.
Alex’s strength inspires the whole Simpson family, who call her a ‘miracle.’
