In a remarkable tale of strength and resilience, meet Owen Masterson, a little boy from Missouri, USA, who defied the odds and celebrated his first birthday, despite being born with an extremely rare condition known as acalvaria. This condition left him without the bones of his face and skull, and the challenges he faced were daunting from the very beginning.
Owen’s parents, Tom and Jessica, received devastating news about their son’s condition early on. The doctors informed them that Owen had little chance of survival. Even during Jessica’s pregnancy, there were grim predictions. Some suggested that the pregnancy should be terminated, fearing the worst for Owen.
This heartbreaking journey began when Owen’s skull defect and facial bone abnormalities were first discovered during a routine ultrasound at 24 weeks of Jessica’s pregnancy. At that point, the doctors weren’t even sure if Owen’s brain was adequately covered by what little skull he had. After consulting with ultrasound specialists, the Mastersons received a diagnosis of “very abnormal brain development,” but the specific condition was still unknown. It wasn’t until Jessica was 27 weeks pregnant that they received the definitive diagnosis of acalvaria, a condition in which survival is exceedingly rare.
Despite the bleak prognosis, Tom and Jessica made an unwavering decision to keep their baby. They persevered, defying the grim forecasts made by medical professionals. The result of their determination was the birth of a baby boy who brought joy and hope to their family. Jessica explained, “I felt that when he was in my mother’s womb, he was safe. I couldn’t do anything when he was born and after that. I thought like that, that my son needed to stay.”
A mere day and a half after his birth, Owen was able to return home, astonishing the medical community with his resilience and survival. Despite suffering from ear infections and a stomach virus in his first year of life, Owen remained in fairly stable condition. However, his medical condition made it challenging for him to crawl or move as easily as other babies, requiring mobility aids to help him on his journey.
Today, at four years old, Owen continues to face his challenges with remarkable strength. Living without a skull and dealing with various health concerns, he shows incredible resilience every day.
Doctors cannot predict how long Owen’s life will be, but his family remains optimistic and hopeful. Owen has shown immense strength in the face of adversity over the past four years. Tom and Jessica frequently share pictures of their resilient “warrior” on their social media, standing beside him and placing their unwavering trust in his extraordinary spirit.
