Grayson Kole Smith is a 6 year-old boy who was born on February 15, 2013 to parents Jenny and Kendyl. The pair were already parents to two healthy children when Grayson was born, and Jenny’s pregnancy with him had gone just as smoothly as her previous ones. That’s why it came as a shock when Grayson was born with numerous health problems that nobody saw coming.

Grayson was born blind and deaf, and he was missing a chunk of his skull. In addition, his eyes were swollen shut and he had a hole in his heart, a curve in his spine, as well as severe facial deformations. Doctors had no idea what the cause of Grayson’s condition was, and no amount of genetic testing could give them any answers.

Doctors have since concluded that Grayson is the only person in the world to be born with his disease, which is why it has been named after him: Grayson’s syndrome. The little boy was immediately placed in hospice care, and medical professionals told Jenny and Kendyl to prepare for the worst. They even embarked on the gut-wrenching task of planning their own son’s funeral, but then something amazing happened.

A year went by, and then another, and another after that. Grayson has continued to survive to this day, and though he has undergone 36 surgeries, he is still alive and kicking. He has turned into an incredible 6 year-old boy who his mother describes as a “ray of light and is always smiling, no matter how much pain he might be in.”

Find out more about this amazing child in the video below!