When Jono Lancaster was just 36 hours old, his parents abandoned him and put him up for adoption.
The child was born with a rare genetic disorder called Treacher-Collins syndrome.
Jono’s biological mother was terrified by what she saw, so she immediately declared that she couldn’t have anything to do with this child.
This genetic disorder affects the formation of the fetal facial bones.
This significantly affects his appearance. Jono’s cheekbones were elongated, and his eyes drooped.
He was diagnosed with hearing problems, and according to doctors’ predictions, the boy was not expected to walk or talk at all.
The child’s future was in danger, but a woman named Jean adopted him when he was just 2 weeks old.
Twenty years have passed since then, and now Jono is a successful young man who wants to share his story with the world.
“I’ve had to believe in myself my whole life because others looked at me and underestimated me. I had to prove them wrong.”
One of Jono’s favorite places is the gym. It’s a sanctuary that helps him release pent-up energy and gives him strength and motivation to move forward.
When asked if he wants to seek help from surgeons, the boy responds, “God created me this way, and it’s not by chance.”
When he was 25 years old, Jono tried to talk to his biological parents.
The adoption service was able to deliver his message to them.
But they refused to meet him and asked not to be disturbed with such requests anymore.
This caused further pain for Jono, but he didn’t break and was able to find the strength to move on.
The boy is not angry with his biological parents and doesn’t want other people to condemn them for such a decision.
“They did what they thought was best for me and for themselves.
It was their decision that made me who I am today. I have a lot of amazing people around me.”
Now Jono travels the world and helps other children suffering from the same syndrome.
He teaches them to accept themselves as they are because first and foremost, they should always love themselves.
