In this week’s Woman’s Day exclusive and inspiring real life story, we meet Malakye, the 22-month-old who shows having no right arm is no problem at all!
Malakye’s mum Anita Duesterhaus says the whole family – including her partner Paul Palmer, 46, twins Maddison and Jai, 16, Jasmin, 14, Mahalia, eight, Casey, six, four-year-old twins Ashleigh and Elliana and Violet, three – are overjoyed to have Malakye exactly the way he is.
In 2011, they were devastated after the heartbreaking stillbirth of their little boy Bailey, at full term.
“It was the hardest thing our family has ever gone through,” explains the 35-year-old.
“Having Malakye feels like a gift, a little piece of magic, one arm or not.”
During Anita’s pregnancy with Malakye she got a toothache, and doctors told her the resulting infection caused his arm to stop growing.
At her third ultrasound it was finally confirmed he was missing a limb. To her surprise doctors offered her a termination – but she wouldn’t hear of it.
“Because we’d lost Bailey, we were just so happy we had a baby with a heartbeat who we could love. His arm was the least of our concerns.”
And young Malakye couldn’t be happier little boy!
For the family’s incredible full story and more on the inspirational toddler, be sure to pick a copy of Woman’s Day magazine, on stands now!
Malakye is such an inspiring little boy!
