Ryan Morse (pictured) was left weighing 8lbs after being starved for seven years and covered in hair as a result of malnutrition.Born and found close to death at an orphanage in Bulgaria, his life changed for the better when in 2015 a woman named Priscilla Morse, who was adopted as a child, saw a picture of him on Facebook and knew that she had to save him.
By October 2015, she was able to take Ryan home to Nashville Tennessee, USA, and in 13 months he has made significant improvements, gaining 15lbs in weight. This was however because they took immediate action immediately they arrived back. Priscilla said:
‘We went straight to Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital, we didn’t even go home to see our kids. The doctors hadn’t seen anything like it either. They told me that if it had happened in America it would be national news because it was so shocking, to be starved for seven years. They didn’t think he would make it.’
At first Ryan suffered from re-feeding syndrome, which meant he had to wait until January 2016 before his body could cope with a feeding tube. He would also swallow air to make himself feel full and regurgitate food to mimic eating - stopping him from getting nutrients. However in March, after being switched from a gastrostomy tube (G-tube) to a Jejunostomy feeding (J-tube), he started to gain weight.
Ryan is currently seeing different specialists and awaiting an official diagnosis but is believed to have cerebral palsy and a form of dwarfism. Urging people to not neglect children with special means. Priscilla said:
‘I would really urge parents thinking of adoption not to over look kids with disabilities. It is a struggle, you have to have a dark sense of humour. If you can’t laugh you won’t make it. But these kids are worth it.’More photos below...
