Fair Warning: This post has absolutely zilch to do with real estate — hence the category “off topic”.
This has got to be one of the most heart-breaking stories I’ve encountered in a long, long time. Quite honestly it made me weep.
But even more importantly (and the reason I’m sharing it) it’s a story of God’s indelible grace, the ability to see immense blessing right smack in the middle of tragedy, and of gratefulness for how truly good most of us have it in this life.
Jeannie Blaylock of First Coast News (in Florida) first broke this story of a baby girl born without a face. I’ve looked for updates and the most recent thing I can find is 2006. If anyone knows anything more recent about this little girl, please let us know.
Some key excerpts from the story…
When most parents have a baby, they spend months dreaming about what their bundle of joy will look like. Will she look like mom? Will he have dad’s eyes? But for one local Navy family, the birth of their daughter didn’t give them the answers to those questions. Their daughter was born without a face. Little Juliana is missing 30 – 40 percent of the bones in her face.
“She has no upper jaw, no cheek bones, no eye sockets, and she’s missing the corner of her ear,” explains Tom.
Her birth defect is called Treacher Collins Syndrome. Doctors say it’s the worst case they’ve ever seen.
Juliana has to eat through her stomach, and she has a trach to breathe. Already, less than two years into her life, she’s had 14 surgeries. Doctors say she could need at least 30 more.
“God never gives you more than you can handle. I figure she has a lot to show everyone… to show the world,” says Tom.
Click here to see the news story video
The end of the article tells how you can get involved if you want to help the Wetmores. It’s a sad story, but it is also a testimony to how God can carry anyone through anything, and about what is truly important in life. Huge kudos to this couple for giving Juliana the chance to live, and for loving her in spite of the incredible difficulties.
Wow…this tore me up! Thanks for sharing this J.P.
What a little blessing! I found her website —looks like it is sponsored by her parents, and it has an updated journal kept by her mom and a nurse (last date – Dec ’09), and little Juliana is doing well, and now has full hearing due to one of her latest surgeries. You can see more: http://www.julianawetmore.net/
I have repeatedly asked to have my account with REI closed. I can’t afford the $29.95 at this time.
Thank you
Hi, Bonnie. I’m sorry, but you must have us confused with someone else. I haven’t received any requests that I’m aware of from you, and we don’t have any kind of product for $29.95. Could it be that you might be confusing REI Tips with another unrelated site with a similar name?
…jp
Having a newborn myself recently, I can really empathize with what the Wetmores must have gone through. It really takes a tremendous amount of courage and love to continue to strive for the best for their beloved child. God bless them..
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I like to listen to the song “Fingerprints of God” by Steven Curtis Chapman while I look at pictures of her on Youtube. I think they fit really well together. Please comment and let me know what you think of this.