Against all odds, four-year-old Noah, whom doctors recommended to abort because his chances of survival was very low, has grown to be a lively boy and is living proof that abortion does not have to be the answer.
He was only three months in the womb when doctors said he had spina bifida, hydrocephalus and chromosome abnormalities. The news devastated his parents Rob and Shelly Wall, who was told that he only had 2 percent brain tissue and would likely die at birth or even before birth.
Doctors repeatedly told Rob and Shelly to have Noah aborted, but they refused.
“We were offered termination five times,” Rob said, according to Live Action News. “It was never an option for us. To me, we wanted to give Noah that chance of life.”
Still, because of the grim prognosis for Noah, the couple somehow expected he really would die at birth and arranged a funeral for him before he was born.
To their surprise, when Noah was born, he let out a cry. Although he had health complications, hearing him cry and knowing he was alive was more than enough for Rob and Shelly to keep fighting for their son.
Noah was paralyzed from the waist down and required surgery on his back, which had a large hole in it. The cerebrospinal fluid that accumulated in his head and pressed on his brain also needed to be removed.
Doctors performed the necessary procedures and sent him home with his parents. As it turned out, that would not be the end of it. Noah would visit the hospital many times as he grew up to be treated for his health complications.
His parents did their best to make his daily life as normal as possible. When he was two, for example, they began to potty train him. They also taught him how to use a spook and fork and to drink from a cup on his own.
“He is potty training now and he knows if he uses the potty then he gets chocolate,” Shelly told the Daily Mail at the time. “It is amazing that he understands what it is and what he is supposed to do despite having only two per cent of his brain functioning.”
Noah also turned out to be a bubbly boy who loved to sing. And he displayed signs of decision making ability.
“He chooses things and makes decisions. He never shuts up and he can sing as well,” Shelly said. "It is absolutely amazing. To look at him you wouldn’t know there was anything wrong."
Noah moved around using a wheelchair and braces. He continues to show signs of improvement.
According to the doctors, his brain has been expanding, and it is almost fully functional.
“[…] to hear his brain’s almost back to normal is beyond belief,” Shelly said. “Rob and I broke down when we heard the news. It was like a dream. I’ve never known anything like it.”
Even Noah’s doctors were amazed at his progress.
Rob and Shelly never regretted their decision to refuse abortion. Noah would still go through surgeries and other treatments in the future, but they are thankful to have him in their lives every single day. They are also working to raise awareness for spina bifida.
