Before Michelle Kish was welcomed into the world, nothing spoke trouble. During each ultrasound, parents Mary and Brad were told that their baby daughter was perfectly fine and the pregnancy was a smooth one as well.
However, when Michelle was born, doctors immediately knew that something wasn’t right. Her face was a bit strange and her nose was so tiny that it resembled bird’s peak.
After running tests and consulting specialists from other hospitals, they were able to diagnose Michelle, and the news wasn’t pretty. She had Hallermann-Streiff syndrome, a genetic disease so rare that there are only 250 known cases worldwide.
”No one had ever seen it in person at Children’s Memorial Hospital, where Michelle was born. When the doctor gave us the diagnosis of Hallermann-Streiff syndrome my heart sank. I was worried how are we going to care for our child who had a rare genetic disorder that was one in five million,” Michelle’s mom told Daily Mail.
The condition is characterized by 28 symptoms, and sadly, Michelle has 26 of them.
Among the rest, she relies on electric wheelchair, hearing aid, probe, respirator, and visual aids.
Besides having Hallermann-Streiff syndrome, Michelle also suffers from a form of dwarfism, which affects her growth. Although she’s 25, she is often mistaken for a young child because of her petite appearance.
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“Now Michelle is a 20-year-old woman, she is smart as a poodle and she is happier than ever. She is one of the happiest 20-year-olds I know,” mom Mary told the Daily Mail in 2018.
“She enlightens people’s lives with their joy. She knows she’s different but doesn’t let it break her down.”
Michelle dreams of becoming a doctor one day and is living her life to the fullest. She would really want to have a boyfriend, just like her sister.
To learn more of her incredible life and bubbly personality take a look at the video below.
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