To our parents, we will always be the most beautiful children in the world. And this most often is true regardless of what the rest of the world says. Sarah and Chris were no different. The young parents stood firmly by their son like a rock when people gave him disgusted stares. Not just that, they treated this opportunity as a blessing to spread awareness about the condition their son, Brody, was born with. When the lovely couple went for their 24-week ultrasound they learned that there was something unusual with their baby. Their baby had a bilateral cleft lip and palate. But the couple wasn’t stunned, instead, they decided to welcome him in their lives when doctors asked if they want to go ahead with the pregnancy.

Sarah also decided that they will use this opportunity to educate people and change the way people look at babies with cleft lips. And she was proud of her baby. She told Today, “It is OK to be proud of your baby no matter the circumstances. We wanted to change what ultrasound/newborn/ first-year pictures on our social media accounts looked like. We wanted to spread awareness of cleft lips and palates.” When the tissues do not get fused during pregnancy, it results in a condition wherein babies are born with cleft lips and palates. While many babies are born with this condition, not many people know about its reason and the parents are often met with judgement. Babies born with cleft lips and palates cannot eat or speak or even breathe without undergoing multiple surgeries. Even after the procedure is complete, the child has to undergo therapy to learn how to speak and eat.

When Sarah started posting photos of Brody and discussing his condition she got discouraging messages, some of them were also hurtful. One even said, “What’s wrong with his face?” Now, any parent would be distraught to see such insensitive comments about their baby. Sarah, however, focused on the bigger picture. She did not let impulsiveness carry her away, instead, she started educating people about cleft lips and palate. “I decided to educate rather than create a confrontation because that is what I want Brody to do in the future. I will want him to educate, to be an advocate for younger cleft kids who don’t have their own voice yet.” There were instances when Sarah was met with kindness when she least expected. She recalled an incident when she was out to dinner with a few of her girlfriends and she received a folded napkin from a server. She thought someone sent her a note, but when she opened it she felt stunned. There was a check for $1,000 with the note in the memo line, “For the beautiful baby.”

“Tears fell from my eyes immediately and the happiness my heart felt is indescribable,” she said. Sarah and Chris used some of the money for Brody’s treatment which included multiple surgeries. But this incident made the couple realize that the world is a kind place. While some would be bitter, there are so many others who are empathetic and helpful. “The generosity of a complete stranger restored our faith in humanity,” Sara Heller, then 26, told TODAY. “Being Brody’s parent has taught me that people care. Strangers all over the country want to hear his story, and they want to pray for him.” She added, “This experience has shown us just how strong the cleft community is. We’ve been contacted by people all over the country … they are praying for us and asking us to reach out if we need anything.” With his parents’ undying support and help from the community, Brody has grown up to be a jolly child with a bright smile (SEE PHOTO). And we hope his smile goes on to become a ray of hope for many.