Some people thought Brandon and his wife were “selfish” for not having an abortion. The father responded sincerely: “It was our choice, and that was our only choice.”
Jaxon Emmett Buell was born on August 27, with a significant defect in most of his brain and skull.

According to CNN, doctors informed his mother, Brittany, 27, and father, Brandon Buell, 30, who live in Tavares, Florida, that their son would not survive more than a few weeks. Yet, a year later, the boy was smiling alongside his parents celebrating his first birthday. Jaxon’s case is a miraculous exception.

At 17 weeks of gestation, after numerous diagnoses, Jaxon was diagnosed with a rare congenital syndrome called Microhydranencephaly (a severe brain defect with no cure) that left him missing a large portion of his brain and skull.

No one thought he could survive. Doctors advised the mother to terminate the pregnancy at 23 weeks because, according to statistics in the US, approximately one in 4,859 babies are born each year with this syndrome, most of whom die shortly after birth. But Jaxon’s parents were determined to have him born.

Their Facebook account, named Jaxon Strong, has attracted over 200,000 followers, and their GoFundMe fund has received nearly $100,000 in donations to help cover Jaxon’s medical expenses and living costs for the family, allowing Brandon and his wife to spend all their time with him.

Brandon said, “Jaxon can’t feed himself and is supported by a feeding tube. That’s the only difference between him and other babies.”

However, the father remains optimistic: “He’s quite small, at 13 months old he only weighs about 5.4kg. He’s still developing. He cries, needs to go to the bathroom, and needs diaper changes like other normal babies. Jaxon is almost perfect.”

However, some people criticized Brandon and his wife for being “selfish” for letting the baby be born. Brandon responded sincerely on his Facebook page: “Letting him be born was a choice we both made, and that was our only choice. Killing your child is a crime. A child’s illness is not a reason for abortion.”

Both Jaxon’s parents know they need a miracle for the time ahead. Their strong faith is helping them get through each day, hoping to give their little angel the best.