Shiloh Pepin was a little fighter who defied the odds right from birth!
Shiloh was born with a rare condition often called “mermaid syndrome,” where her legs were fused together.
Doctors told her family that she would only live for a few days after her birth at the most. But God had other plans for Shiloh, and knew that she would inspire millions with her shining personality.
“She’s a tough little thing,” said Shiloh’s mom.
Being born with “mermaid syndrome,” also known as Sirenomelia, meant that the little girl from Maine had no lower colon, only one partially working kidney, no genital organs, and her legs were fused from the waist down.
Some children who survived Sirenomelia had surgery to separate their legs, but Shiloh did not because blood vessels crossing from side to side in her circulatory system would have been severed.
Shiloh’s story of perseverance touched millions after she was featured on national television programs. Through those TV shows, news articles, Facebook and other Web sites, Shiloh inspired many.
“I live in Iowa. I have cerebral palsy. I love your video,” 12 year old Lydia Dawley wrote to Shiloh on Facebook. “You have a great personality I wish you lived close so we could be friends and hang out. You opened my eyes because you are so brave.”
“She was such a shining personality in that building,” said Maureen King, chairwoman of the board of the school district where Shiloh was a 5th grader.
When Shiloh was 10 years old, she caught a cold that quickly turned to pneumonia. She was rushed for treatment. It was touch and go for a while, and it looked as though Shiloh would pull through.
Sadly, the pneumonia was too much for Shiloh’s already weakened body, and she died from complications. But we know that sweet Shiloh is now dancing with the angels in Heaven!
Credit: Huffington Post
Featured Image Credit: Youtube