Brandon's Story

Brandon Smalling
Age 11
Tucson Medical Center
Premature Birth

Brandon Smalling, 11, of Tucson, Ariz., has a passion for little bitty things. From his favorite pet snail to bugs of all kinds, Brandon pours over insect encyclopedias for hours just to learn more about the small, creepy crawly things that bring him so much joy.

Brandon’s love for little things might stem from knowing what it’s like to be tiny—almost too tiny to survive. He was born extremely premature, weighed 1.5 pounds and spent the first three months of his life in Tucson Medical Center. Two weeks prior to his original due date, Brandon was sent home, but his visits to the hospital didn’t end.

Additional complications led to eye surgery, and Brandon donned his first pair of glasses at just six months old. At two years, Brandon developed sleep apnea and would stop breathing throughout the night, but surgery helped and improved other speech problems. Continued physical, occupational and speech therapy were instrumental over the next few years to ensure that complications related to his birth and subsequent health problems wouldn’t hinder his future.

Today Brandon is a thriving, energetic 11-year-old with an acute sensitivity to those who need a helping hand or a kind word.