Tessa Evans, born without a nose, came into the world on Valentine’s Day 2013. Her family and people around the world love and praise her every day.
Less than 100 people worldwide have the same condition as Tessa. Her mother praises her « charming » attitude and her « unfailing bravery ».
Tessa is strong and living her best life eight years after being the first person to receive nasal implants. She refuses to let her situation « stop her from doing anything ».
Parents Grainne and Nathan Evans were shocked when their Valentine’s Day baby was born without a nose. The pregnancy was normal, with no signs of issues.
Tessa hails from Maghera, Ireland, and was born without a nose due to having Bosma-Arhinia-Microphthalmia Syndrome (BAMS).
The National Institutes of Health report that there have been fewer than 100 cases of this condition in medical history.
It’s also difficult to treat because the disease is so rare.
For Tessa, this means she can’t smell or breathe through her nose, but she can still cough, sneeze, and catch a cold.
« It was funny when she sneezed for the very first time, but we actually found out it actually comes from the chest, » said her father Nathan. « But that little bit of normality was quite nice. »
When she was less than two weeks old, she underwent surgery to insert a tracheostomy tube into her mouth, allowing her to eat and sleep normally.
Tessa was the first person ever to have a cosmetic nasal implant implanted to replace the missing part.
She was only two years old.