When he was born, he was diagnosed with diastrophic dwarfism, a very disabling condition, and his parents were told that he would never walk, he would never talk, he would have no intellectual capacity, and he would probably not even recognize them.
При раждането бил диагностициран с хипофизарен нанизъм, много влошаващо се състояние. Казали на родителите му, че той никога няма да ходи, никога няма да говори, няма да развие интелектуалните си способности и вероятно никога няма да ги разпознае.