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Kansas City, Mo. — Jade Metivier was only 13 years old when she had to endure three grueling surgeries, each lasting 13 hours.
She was diagnosed with Midface Hypoplasia, a condition where the bones in the middle of her face didn’t grow at the same rate as those in her chin and forehead.
“I could tell people were puzzled when they looked at me, and it made me feel pretty uncomfortable,” she shared.
Her condition impacted her life significantly; she found it hard to breathe, eat, and even chat with her friends.
“It was tough talking to them. I’d try to say something, but they just didn’t get it, no matter how much I tried,” she recalled.
Eventually, her parents, Mark and Christi Metivier, discovered the right surgeon at New York Presbyterian, but they were apprehensive about the upcoming treatment.
Mark admitted, “We had second thoughts once we learned what she would face during the surgeries. It was terrifying to think about.”
The procedure proposed by Dr. Thomas Imahiyerobo was extreme and invasive: it would reconstruct Jade’s facial bones.
“The idea of cutting your head open, taking off your face, and installing hardware in your skull… it was really frightening for us,” Christi expressed. “But deep down, we understood it had to happen.”
Jade, unaware of the full extent of the surgeries, was relieved not to know the specifics.
“I felt both scared and excited. The prospect of changing my face was thrilling, but the answers to my questions ended up being pretty scary,” Jade shared.
Post-surgery, she was put into a coma for up to four days to manage swelling. During this time, her parents played Taylor Swift’s classic hit, “Cruel Summer,” when something incredible took place.
“To our surprise, she starts moving her hands and hips to the music, it was amazing!” Mark exclaimed.
The nursing staff came rushing in after being alerted, exclaiming, “This is unbelievable!” as they witnessed the phenomenon.
Jade doesn’t recall any of it, but stated, “I began to wonder why I was responding like that, but all I remember is a dance happening in my head.”
Now a 16-year-old high school sophomore, Jade is tapping into theater by learning tap dance for her school musical. She’s aiming to study biochemical engineering in the future.
“I’ve grown more confident; I look at people in the hallways and smile—it’s wonderful to just be me!” Jade said happily.
Her parents told everyone that the whole challenging experience is worth it just to see her radiant smile.
“It took about six or seven months, but then we noticed her spark returning—her determination,” Christi recalled. “From day one, she was resolved to go back to school, to live a ‘normal’ life, and get back to dancing.”
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