By Brenda Erdahl
“We got lucky with this one,” Hoyt Lambert’s father said as he gently bounced the 19-month-old in his arms. He was referring to what he called his son’s “chill” attitude and mild manner, speculating he and his wife wouldn’t be so fortunate with child No. 2.
“Lucky” might not be the first word that pops into everyone’s mind when they hear Hoyt’s story, but once they meet him, they’ll know exactly what his dad is talking about.
Hoyt, who lives in Maple Lake with his parents Andrew and Bryn, has a very rare neurological disorder called KAND (KIF1A Associated Neurological Disorder). It’s so rare, that fewer than 300 people in the world have been diagnosed with it and as few as 12 have the same variant as Hoyt. Needless to say, very little is known about it. What they do know is that KAND is degenerative and progressive, causing irreversible damage to the brain and nerve cells, Bryn said.
But when Hoyt flashes that crooked smile and waves hello with his little palm in the air, he’s just like any other child – a miracle anyone would be lucky to know.
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