PASCO, Wash. - His hands are huge. His feet are huge. His character is huge. Everything about this teenager is big.
While Brendan Adams may look different on the outside, he's still just a 16 year old kid.
He has mixed feelings about all the attention he's been getting.
"Um,
it depends. Some people just come up like they know you. It's kinda
weird sometimes like that. I don't know, it's hard to explain."
Brendan stands out in a crowd. He's 7 feet, 7 inches tall. Wears a size 22 shoe. He gets his shoes from Shaquille O'Neal.
It's
not all fun and games. Brenden Adams has a rare genetic disorder that's
never been seen before. His 12th chromosome flipped and re-attached
while he was developing in the womb. It caused him to grow at an
alarming rate. If hormones hadn't stopped it, Brendan could have been
over eight feet tall.
The worst part of everything? "I don't know the joint pain probably, he said."
But he doesn't let his physical condition get him down.
Dad Willie Adams said, "We typically look up to him because of his spirits."
Although
the teen feels guilt when it comes to the medical bills that his
condition entails, his mother says, “No one has his condition in the
world, but then no one in the world has his heart of gold,” and adds,
“People are kind, people are generous, but I don’t believe there’s
anyone with a heart like his.”
Brenden's story caught the
attention of Jerry England. He is part of a non-profit called Retreads.
They're car buffs who help kids live dreams. England tries to do
something special for Brenden's birthday every year.
"Now we're
going to meet his hero. I'm sure he said, you can't beat this, dad. So
we'll do something maybe the moon, I don't know," England said.
That
hero is Chris Foos, a classic car guru. Brenden will also get to visit
Jay Leno's private car collection. He just needs to get through the
airport to catch the flight to Los Angeles.
"If one person comes
up and takes a picture then everybody else wants to. It gets kinda crazy
and weird sometimes," Brenden said.
A reluctant celebrity who takes it all in stride.
Brenden
will be celebrating his 17th birthday in a couple weeks. His friends
host a classic car show every year to help raise money for his medical
expenses.
Brenden may need to be fitted with a pacemaker to help his heart support his large body.
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