An influencer with Birdman syndrome who beat the odds has revealed how doctors told his parents he wouldn’t “live past 24 hours” – as he opens up about his condition to give hope to others.
Daniel Younghusband has suffered stares and cruel jabs from strangers since he was a young boy.
Now 41, he is still faced with unwanted comments from people wondering “what’s wrong” with him.
But as a survivor, Daniel refuses to let their negativity sink in, with the content creator, who has 38,900 followers, proving that any face can be a famous one.
“I weighed just 3lbs at birth and was not expected to live past 24 hours,” he told Need To Know.
“I only realized I had challenges and was different to the other children when I started school.
“I had to sit at the front of the class because of my poor eyesight.
“Kids stared and asked questions like ‘Why is your head so small?; or ‘What’s wrong with that boy?’ – and this made me angry.
“I wondered: Why me?
“But I couldn’t change it, so just had to learn to cope.
“Even now I get stared at and I hear people asking questions.”
Daniel was diagnosed with Seckel Syndrome, a rare autosomal recessive genetic disorder, as a child.
He currently receives a lot of help from his support workers and parents to improve his quality of life.
The phrase ‘Birdman syndrome’ comes from the primordial dwarfism that the condition causes, which can give the patient a ‘bird-headed’ appearance.
Daniel, who is single and receives government disability benefits, is determined to show what people with his condition can do through the power of social media.
He said: “I do not have any pain but I have muscle myopathy (weakening), especially affecting my legs at this stage, which has been progressing for about 10 years.
“I am also legally blind and struggle with my mobility, and use a scooter and sometimes a walking frame when outside.
“As far as my confidence is concerned, I try to stay positive with everything that I do, but I do get very frustrated and worried.
“I have to keep finding things that I can do.
“But when one door closes, another one opens.
“I am working on my social media to inspire people and to reach out to people all around the world.”
Daniel, who was born in Zimbabwe but now lives in Nelson, New Zealand, where he moved at 18, has seen his videos go viral many times.
Most recently, he shared updates from a hospital visit and breaking a personal record, the latter of which has over 6.4m views.
People across the globe are taking the opportunity to ask Daniel questions about his condition – which he is more than happy to answer.
He also self-published an autobiography titled ‘A Man Makes His Own Luck’ in 2017.
Aside from his health journey, Daniel shares updates about his adorable cavalier puppy.
