Lacey Buchanan and her husband, Charles, were walking on clouds back in 2010 when they found out they were expecting their first child.
But their luck was short-lived. At the ultrasound, which took place during week 18 of the pregnancy, things took a scary turn.
Still, nothing could prepare the couple for what was to come.
In 2010, Lacey and Charles discovered they were expecting a child. They were overjoyed, but also a little shocked.
Unfortunately, they would soon get some news that would shake the couple to its core.
The doctors discovered that their child, Christian, would probably be born with multiple malformations in his face.
But Lacey, who is a person of faith and was 23-years-old in 2010, had already fallen in love with her unborn child, despite the potential challenges.
Abortion was never an option.
When the due date was approaching, doctors still didn’t whether her boy would even survive.
So, in February 2011, they delivered Christian via a Caesarean section in case he couldn’t breathe on his own.
Lacey was delighted to have given birth, and when she heard Christian’s first scream, it was like music to her ears.
It seemed like things had mostly gone well.
The excited mother asked the medical team what her son looked like, but no one answered her.
Then, they asked Lacey if she wanted to see him, and held him up over a curtain for a second.
Lacey barely got a glimpse of her newborn boy, and when she held Christian for the first time, he was wrapped up in a blanket and his eyes were covered with gauze.
Lacey knew he had a cleft lip and palate and other malformations, but her little boy was still perfect to her.
Finally, Lacey realized how serious the situation was. Christian just had skin and bones where his eyes should have been.
Her beloved baby had been born without eyes.
Four days later, Lacey’s husband, Charles, was in tears.
“Charles said that a doctor had come in and basically said, ‘Your child is blind, and there’s nothing we can do,’” Lacey tells USA Today.
The doctors’ message came as a shock to both parents. They didn’t know what to think.
“They didn’t wait for me, we didn’t ask questions. Nothing,” Lacey says.
But against all odds, Christian is now 5 years old and his incredible journey has inspired thousands.
Christian had his first major surgery just four days after he was born, and he still has a long way to go.
The first surgery was very difficult for the family.
“When we brought him home from the hospital things were hard. Anytime we took Christian out in public people would stare and whisper behind my back, ‘Look at that baby'” Lacey tells the Daily Mail.
People told Lacey straight to her face that she “was a horrible person for not aborting Christian”!
The challenge of caring for Christian also put an emotional strain on her marriage with Charles, whom she met when she was only 15 years old.
By the time Christian turned 4, he had undergone seven major operations, including surgery to correct his jaw and cleft palate.
At their lowest point, Lacey and Charles considered divorce. But through marriage counseling, and with love and support from family and friends, they found their way back to each other.
How lovely to hear!
Christian has always been an inspiration and a ray of sunshine who lifts Lacey up on her darkest days.
Without him, she probably wouldn’t be able to keep everything together and continue to grow.
“There were a whole lot of times where I just wanted to throw my hands up and be done, just because it was the easier thing to do,” Lacey says. “But he (Christian) still wakes up every day, happy and ready to take on the world and ready to do what it takes to be successful and happy.”
Christian will need more operations over the years, and it’s uncertain what his future will look like.
But now, he is attending a school for the blind, where he’s learning to read.
Christian has also started karate lessons and seems to have a real talent for it. Oh, and he also plays violin. Talk about not letting someone tell him what he can or cannot do!
If you can dream it, you can do it!
When I read about Lacey, Christian and Charles’ journey, I’m grateful for what I have — but also inspired by how a little boy can have such strength and courage.
Because after every dark night comes a brighter day. Never stop believing, hoping and dreaming!
Please share Christian’s story on Facebook if you were also moved by this amazing little guy!
