This story is a very special story with an important lesson. We can say it’s a story you’ve probably never came across. Little Brenna reflects a very powerful example of overcoming any possible obstacles – and it reminds us of how much a parent’s love is unconditional.
Unfortunately, there are some parents who are ready to give up on their children – just because they are born with different conditions.
That is why we felt the urge to share this story so we can help inspire people and show them how the bond between parents and their babies can defy anything in the world as long as they stay by each others’ side.
Courtney and Evan Westlake is a married couple who are happy living their life together along with their little son Connor. They got happier when Courtney found out she’s pregnant with their second child.
They couldn’t hold back their excitement and joy over these news. Their family will expand with a new family member.
The couple was excited and couldn’t wait for their first ultrasound just like any other expectant parents.
Every time they visited the hospital, they were relieved to hear that the pregnancy is going as it should and their baby is doing just fine.
A few months into the pregnancy, Courtney and Evan were told they were expecting a baby girl: Connor was going to be a brother to little sister!
The couple were thrilled upon hearing this and started imagining everything that a little girl would bring to their family.
“I’ll have to learn to braid hair now,” laughed dad Evan.
The couple finally welcomed their baby girl just a few weeks before New Year’s Ever. That’s when all their plans of introducing the little girl to her new home were destroyed.
Their daughter Brenna was born covered in a thick white scales. She wasn’t moving, had an extremely high body temperature and her whole body was covered in sores.
They were shocked to see that their baby was covered in a thick white scales. Her tiny body was covered in sores and she suffered high temperature. She was in need of intensive care immediately – otherwise they will lose her.
Courtney and Evan were heartbroken and could only hold their baby for the first time two weeks after her birth.
The condition Brenna suffered from is called Harlequin ichthyosis which is a serious hereditary disease. it causes the body to make skin thicker 10 times. This serious disease causes redness to the whole body and it can affect eyes, mouth, nose and ears.
The disease is untreatable and is often fatal.
Courtney and Evan, realizing the whole challenges that come with Harlekin ichthyosis, they were ready to take the difficult journey to save their baby’s life.
Courtney often notices some strangers pointing out to her child and making loud evil comments about her baby’s appearance,
It breaks her heart because no mother would someone to talk bad about her children, But Courtney doesn’t let this to hold her back from loving and protecting her daughter.
What’s really upsetting is the reactions some parents have when they come across Courtney and Brenna, They go ahead and pull their children away from the poor little girl as she is a monster or a weird creature to fear.
Courtney would prefer that parents come up and talk to her and Brenna, instead of looking away and leaving the playground.
Brenna, in the other hand, is one proud confident little girl, who is so courageous to let anything bring her down, she’s young, cheerful and smiles all the time.
And this is all because she has one proud family that gives her all the love and support, especially her little brother, Connor, who really adores her.
“Why do parents try to avoid talking to people who look different? What are they afraid of? They could just come up to me and ask how old Brenna is,” Courney says, and continues:
“When their child asks why Brenna is so red and swollen, why can’t they just be honest and say ‘I don’t know, but it doesn’t matter how we look. We’re all unique’?”
The family has a challenging daily life, But they are all proud of each other for the hard efforts they do to keep their little one happy.
Every evening, the good dad Evan bathes his daughter, which needs to be done carefully and methodically every day.
The same man who was joking about braiding her daughter’s hair now massages her very carefully but steadily with a cloth to wash away scaly skin.
The disease also means that Brenna doesn’t have a lot of hair, but every day her dad carefully combs the hair she does have.
And in most ways, Brenna is just like any other child. She loves her family, playing and listening to bedtime stories with her dad and big brother.
Her parents are convinced that Brenna can do whatever she wants in life, even though life hasn’t turned out exactly the way they planned.
Courtney now writes regularly about her family’s life on her blog, Blessed by Brenna, and she’s also written a book, A Different Beautiful, which was published in August 2016.
The family hopes that their open and emotional story can help others to understand and appreciate people who look different.
And isn’t Brenna beautiful just the way she is.
Please share Brenna’s inspiraional story to help her and her family spread awareness of her illness.
Together we can ensure that all children have a happy upbringing, free from prejudice.
