Lacey and Chris Buchanan met and fell in love when they were both just teenagers. Instead of growing up and growing apart as most teenage couples do, Lacey and Chris grew closer and deeper in love. When Lacey was 21, she and Chris got married. Two years later, they found out that Lacey was pregnant with their first child.
The Buchanans were ecstatic. When an ultrasound revealed that the baby was a boy, they named him Christian. Within a short time, however, their joy turned to anxiety. Something was wrong with Christian. Doctors did not know if he would be born healthy, or even if he would survive.
To his parents’ relief, Christian was born alive. However, he suffered from a severe form of cleft lip and palate. Worse, he was born without eyes. At four days old, Christian underwent surgery to repair his lip and palate. He spent weeks in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit.
Finally, Chris and Lacey were able to take Christian home. To their horror, strangers stared and whispered whenever they took Christian out in public. People asked rude questions and many seemed to blame Lacey for his condition. Once, a woman even told Lacey she was a horrible person because she carried Christian to term. In her despair, Lacey began sharing her pain on social media.
As Christian grew, however, something amazing began to happen. Christian laughed and played like any other baby. His giggle was so infectious that even the starers and whisperers giggled back. An army of supporters steadily grew on social media. People began to tell Lacey that Christian was an inspiration to them. He even had a song written about him. Today, Christian is a happy little boy who is loved by many. As for Lacey Buchanan, she has no regrets. She describes Christian as the love of her life.
