Nothing screamed trouble before Michelle Kish entered the world. During each ultrasound, Mary and Brad were told that their baby daughter was fine and that the pregnancy was going well. When Michelle was born, however, doctors immediately recognized that something was wrong. Her face was odd, and her nose was so small that it resembled a bird’s peak.
They were able to diagnose Michelle after running tests and consulting specialists from other hospitals, and the news was not good. She had Hallermann-Streiff syndrome, a rare genetic disease with only 250 known cases worldwide. “At Children’s Memorial Hospital, where Michelle was born, no one had ever seen it in person. My heart sank when the doctor told us we had Hallermann-Streiff syndrome.
“I was concerned about how we would care for our child who had a rare genetic disorder that was one in five million,” Michelle’s mother told the Daily Mail. Michelle has 26 of the 28 symptoms that characterize the condition. She uses an electric wheelchair, a hearing aid, a probe, a respirator, and visual aids, among other things. Michelle has Hallermann-Streiff syndrome as well as a form of dwarfism that affects her growth.
Because of her petite stature, despite being 25, she is frequently misidentified as a child. “Michelle is now 20 years old, as smart as a poodle, and happier than ever. “She’s one of the happiest 20-year-olds I know,” Mary, her mother, told the Daily Mail in 2018. “Her joy brightens people’s lives.
She is aware of her differences, but she does not let them define her.” Michelle aspires to be a doctor and is living her life to the fullest. She, like her sister, would love to have a boyfriend.
Watch the video below to learn more about her incredible life and bubbly personality.