“Alyssa was diagnosed with INAD (infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy), which is a progressive, irreversible neurodegenerative disorder. Alyssa, who was once a happy, healthy-appearing toddler, has been slowly losing function. She is no longer able to walk or sit up on her own, and she is having increasing difficulty eating. Her parents painstakingly feed her by syringe, drop by drop, just so they can hold her in their arms a little longer.
One thing this little angel has not stopped doing yet is smiling. She has the most heart warming smile. One of the highlights of her day is hearing her brother, Benjamin, come home from school. She listens for the sound of the bus, and her eyes light up.”