Baby Born With Most Of Skull Missing Makes It Past Miracle Birthday

Jaxon Buell is a little boy with many reasons to smile, but one of the biggest reasons to grin is because he just made a remarkable birthday milestone.

Jaxon just celebrated his 2nd birthday, a major achievement, considering that this miracle child was born with 80% of his brain missing.

At the time of his birth in 2014, Jaxon was diagnosed with micro hydranencephaly, a rare brain malformation that put the brakes on his brain development only a few weeks into his mother’s pregnancy.

Doctors told his parents, Brandon and Brittany Buell, their son would never live to see his second birthday. However, Jaxon is continuing to prove them wrong.

In a public post, Brandon updated the world on Jaxon’s condition and said he was doing well. He is making strides in development and even knows his name.

“He recognizes his name – if we say Jaxon, he starts to smile,” wrote Buell. “He’s getting better with his hands. If we play noses, he’ll reach his hand up to grab our faces.” These might seem insignificant, but for this little guy, they mean everything.

However, Jaxon still has a series of battles before him. Because his body has not adapted to the brain malady, he experiences daily seizures, frequent trips to the hospital, and vigilant medication adjustments.

Jaxon’s parents live in awe of their son, who has overcome every shred of doubt that science has presented him. He’s earned himself the fitting name, Jaxon Strong, which he wears like a badge of honor.

“The doctors originally told us he’d probably never hear, see, talk, because the components of the brain that make those things happen are not there,” explained Buell on Today. “He’s doing those things against the odds.” All of Jaxon’s senses are intact, even his sense of taste. While he’s still dependent on a feeding tube, his parents like to put jelly or ice cream onto their fingers so he can taste them. Ice cream is

Jaxon has all his sense intact, including his sense of taste, which was a point of question for a while. Jaxon is still dependent on a feeding tube, however, if his parents put ice cream, jelly, or something else that’s a little sweet on their fingers, he reacts with glee. For example, ice cream is a favorite, but bananas don’t quite fit the bill.