News - Local
Baby born without a brain lives for first birthday
Posted: Dec 18, 2009 6:37 AM by Nicole Vandeputte
Updated: Dec 18, 2009 6:37 AM
Pueblo, Colorado--A baby boy in Pueblo is a living miracle. Nicholas Coke was born without a brain. This week he's marked a milestone nobody dreamed could happen.
Coke was born with a genetic disease called Anencephaly. He had no brain, just a brain stem. His mom Sheena says, "He can't see, he can't hear, he can't suck. He doesn't crawl, doesn't sit up."
Most of these babies die within hours, but Nicholas survived a few days, then a few months.
A year later, it's a true Christmas miracle. He is at a party to celebrate his first birthday. Sheena says, "He's a miracle. He's changed so many lives."
He somehow survived without doctors, or tubes. Sheena says he even shows signs of emotion. "He's smiling. He's laughed for the first time. It was wonderful to hear him laugh," says Sheena.
With this joy, comes a constant thought. How long can little Nicholas fight? Sheena tears up as she says, "It's hard to know that I'm going to be burying my son soon, but it's wonderful to know he's made it a year."
So, they take advantage of every moment. They celebrate every milestone as if it's their last, and keep hope that their Saint Nicholas will continue to fight for his life.
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