Miracle Baby Born With Half His Skull Missing Beats The Odds to Celebrate His First Birthday

 

When Jaxon Strong was born with half of his brain and skull missing, his doctors predicted that he'd have just days to live. But one year later, this little guy has truly defied the odds. 
Jaxon's mom, Brittany Buell, was told when she was pregnant that "Jax's" brain had been
severely malformed and warned her that he was unlikely to survive the pregnancy. Though physicians gave Brittany, and her husband Brandon, 30, the option to terminate, they didn't give up hope.

"I was devastated. It was heart-breaking because something I always wanted my whole life was happening, but then I was told there was a possibility it might be a stillborn," Brittany told the Daily Mail. 

But last August 27, Jax was born weighing four pounds. 

"It was very emotional. I remember holding him on day two and listening to the doctors say my son would probably never walk, never talk, never know when he's hungry, or never hear or see. They really did not expect him to make it​," Brandon said. 

"​We did everything we could to give him a fighting chance and all he's done since being born is fight right back," he added. 

Jax, who has since been diagnosed with ​​Microhydranencephaly​, just celebrated his first birthday. 

"It is always in the back of my mind. I'm very aware that today maybe his last day. I'm aware tomorrow he may not be here," Brittany shared. But she says she feels blessed by the support she's been given. 

Jaxon now has over 90,000 likes on Facebook as well as a GoFundMe page, set up by Brandon's colleagues, which has raised over $50,000 so Brittany can afford to stay home and take care of Jaxon. 

"He thrives with his mom, that one-to-one stimulation that no other therapy can give. If we can keep Brittany at home, giving him that 24/7 care is truly priceless and that's what his account allows us to do," Brandon explained. 

"It's all been so overwhelming in a positive way because we can't go anywhere without someone stopping us, and saying, 'hey, what's your story?' or they would have seen his picture and say, 'hey, look it's Jax Strong!' – his nickname! It's truly incredible the amount of people he has had an impact on," Brittany said.