Nathaniel Leblanc

I have lived and survived the impossible; knowing my strength, I can overcome any obstacle life throws my way. Currently, my obstacle is overcoming my speech impediment. In my mind, there is no greater challenge in life than a speech impediment, always knowing what you have to say but never having the chance to express it. When it comes to certain words, I hit a brick wall; the wall sometimes collapses, but the wall will always come back, and it will be stronger than the last one. My "disability" has always been a gift, and it always will be one. To my family, I'm a miracle.

I was born with CDH at Oklahoma University Medical Center. Like many other conditions, the prognosis varies significantly from child to child. In my case, it was severe, so severe, I was only given a 12.5% chance of survival. I spent my first month of life on machines in the NICU. At three years old, I went back for a second surgery to close my stomach muscle and I still remember my first day of first grade, age seven. My mom was frantic, running around the house panicking. Suddenly, she calls the surgical nurse at OU Medical Center, explaining how I have hiccups for the first time! The nurse just laughed, to the point of crying, and said, "Do you know what this means? This means God is good; his diaphragm has grown. Don't worry, Mom, he's doing great, now please stop emailing his teacher."

I have never allowed my disabilities to control any aspect of my life. I have always been active. Even with both disabilities, I gave every little thing a try and had no hesitations. I was always diving in, headfirst. I'm always ready to try something new, unknown, and challenging. The number of activities I do is difficult for 'normal' people to keep up with, never mind someone "disabled" like me. I defied and conquered science, and no one knows why. Even with no stomach muscles for most of my youth and compromised lung function, I still did the impossible, the one thing I was medically advised not to do: firefighter volunteer training. Disabled? I think not.

By no means has my life been a flat road because, as we all know, in every road, there's a pothole up ahead. So far in my journey, I have hit two significant potholes and countless smaller ones; but that's what I get for traveling the road less traveled. I was given a 50/50 chance of survival at full term. Born at 33 weeks, the chance of survival dropped 25%. I had an 80% diaphragm defect, and my chance of survival dropped down to 12.5%. I was one of only ten CDH babies born in Oklahoma City that year and the only one discharged. I have always been made fun of, left out, underestimated, dismissed, and not been heard way too many hundreds of times. None of the textbooks or numbers define me. I have overcome many obstacles throughout my life; I am strong and incessantly determined. Normal was never an option. In my eyes, I am a true miracle and not simply 'normal.'

Nathaniel graduated from Gorham High School in Gorham, NH and will be attending Emmanuel University in Boston, MA in the Fall of 2022.

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