When Tristan Willmott was born, his parents were terrified he wouldn't make it. It took until Tristan was 5 years old for doctors to figure out what was wrong with him.
He was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder called Mulibrey nanism, which is a form of dwarfism that affects growth, muscles, liver, eyes, and brain.
Tristan's mother, Jessie, told CNN, "They knew right off he was small with obviously severe failure to thrive." Tristan's condition continued to worsen, though, and doctors told his parents that he might not make it.
CNN reports: "Early on, complications from the disorder became debilitating. Tristan spent long stints in the hospital undergoing multiple operations, including two open-heart surgeries. Soon after, Tristan's body began to retain a large amount of fluid. Doctors prepared his mother for the worst. 'They sat me down and said I needed to look at quality of life versus quantity.'"
After that, Tristan went on a trip to Disney World through the Make-A-Wish Foundation. His family really feared for the worst.
But after his Disney trip, Tristan's health started improving. Jessie says, "He really hasn't been sick since. I don't know what happened. He still has all of those conditions, but it's not really affecting him so much."
Now Tristan is 15 and thriving. He stands only 3'5, but he's not letting that stop him. He even joined his high school's basketball team. Tristan is truly a trooper; after overcoming a disorder that almost killed him, he's living life to the fullest and not giving up.
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