With pregnancy comes a distinct sort of nervous anticipation that is unique for every parent. When it comes to their child’s health, most parents use the old adage, “We don’t care if it’s a boy or girl, all we want is for the baby to be healthy.” Unfortunately, not all parents have the luxury of raising a perfectly healthy child. Nevertheless, the experiences that can come out of caring for a sick one can be truly life-changing. Get ready for a few tears– this is the astounding story of little Parker Grelecki.

Parker was born with a condition called hydrocephalus. It is a disorder in which there is an abnormal amount of buildup of cerebrospinal fluid within the brain. According to the doctors at UCLA Health, hydrocephalus is not completely unheard of—it occurs in 2 of every 1,000 births in the U.S., however Parker’s symptoms were very severe. The baby’s tiny brain only occupied about 5% of his cranial cavity. In normal births, the brain occupies anywhere from 90-95%.

Speaking of the moments after his son’s birth, Ryan Grelecki says: “I was by his side the whole time—talking to him, praying over him, holding his hand, rubbing his head. That unconditional love just rushes over you, and here is this helpless baby that’s been entrusted to me and I can’t do anything for him.”

Within a few days, the amazing doctors and surgeons at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta were ready to start relieving some of the pressure in Parker’s skull. That initial surgery would be the first of many for the baby within the next coming months.

“Our goal was to go in and re-expand the skull, open the skull up and separate those bones that had grown together. And, that was basically what we did— getting the space for his brain to grow and grow normally,” recalls Joseph Williams, M.D., Chief of Plastic and Craniofacial Surgery at the hospital.

After the first successful surgery, his parents were finally able to bring him home. According to his mother Chrysie Grelecki, Parker started physical therapy at four weeks old. The baby faced challenges, but was eventually able to pull himself up. In fact, he skipped the crawling phase altogether by going straight to walking!

The staff at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta just love the little boy that Parker has grown into! They say that he is a loving child who always has a smile on his face. Avril Beckford, Parker’s pediatrician continues to be impressed by both Chrysie and Ryan, she says, “They totally accepted, without question, this very special child.”

We are all so inspired by this moving story. Learn more about Parker’s miraculous journey in the video below.

Have you or anyone else you’ve known been affected by hydrocephalus? Do you have any special stories of recovery that you would like to share? Are there any exceptional hospitals or healthcare professionals that have made an impact in your life? Tell us all about your experiences in the comments section below!