A 22-year-old man who was born without a nose and a right frontal lobe survives 28 surgeries.
Gray Canales and his family revealed that their Christian faith helped them through the medical journey in an interview with People.
“People say, ‘God gives special needs children to special parents,'” Canales’ father, John, said. “But we were like every other parent, just dealing with each day as it comes.”
Parents Were Told Their Baby Born Without a Nose Wouldn’t Survive. 28 Surgeries Later, He’s Thriving (Exclusive) https://t.co/Sk1CAXqCtk
— People (@people) January 28, 2024
Canales received 11 nasal reconstruction surgeries, including grafting cartilage from his ribs, skin and thighs and inserting a skin expander in his forehead to obtain stretched skin for a procedure, according to the outlet.
Doctors told Canales’ parents they could not detect their baby’s nose during a 20-week sonogram, warning that Canales would face slim odds of survival beyond birth and would not be able to breathe on his own, according to the outlet.
Canales was born able to breathe on his own after his parents decided not to terminate their pregnancy, the outlet reported. However, he lacked a right frontal lobe, rendering his left side with partial mobility. (RELATED: ‘So Happy To Be Alive’: Woman Wakes Up As Quadruple Amputee After Routine Kidney Stone Surgery)
“We taught him not to feel sorry for himself,” his father said. “Because many other people deal with disabilities too. We told him, ‘This is the way God made you. That’s all.'”
Canales has two more nasal reconstruction surgeries left before the process is complete, the outlet reported. He plans to pursue vocational training with the Texas Workforce Commission in hopes of helping others with disabilities.
“I can’t wait to not have my life interrupted by surgeries anymore,” Canales told the outlet. “I can finally start planning ahead.”