Aiden's Journey: The Next Chapter

In 2008, Taryn and Ricky Skees welcomed their second baby boy 5.5 weeks early, however that wasn’t the only surprise they received that night.

The sounds of joy that normally fill a delivery room were replaced by confused gasps and an eerie silence. Ricky noticed something didn't look right with his son's hands and feet. A neonatologist told them that it appeared Aiden had something called Apert Syndrome.

Aiden's hands looked as is if they were in little fists. His fingers and toes were fused together and the sutures of his skull had closed too early making his forehead protrude. A nurse gave the nervous parents a printout that gave information about Apert syndrome, a craniofacial condition that occurs in only 1 out of every 160,000 births. They learned their baby would require numerous surgeries, may have a poor quality of life and even recommended institutionalization. They were heartbroken – yet determined to fight for their son’s future.

Taryn and Ricky researched doctors and decided on an experienced craniofacial team in Dallas, TX where Aiden had 3 major surgeries in the first 2 years of his life. Two procedures to separate his fingers and toes, and the first of numerous operations needed to expand his skull to allow space for his brain to grow.

Now almost 10 years old, Aiden is recovering from his most recent major surgery, a mid-face advancement procedure. Aiden's Journey: The Next Chapter follows Aiden in the weeks leading up to this life-changing procedure, provides candid interviews with his family and friends, discusses surgical details with his craniofacial surgeon and demonstrates the physical and emotional transformation that comes after the journey is complete.

Through Aiden’s Journey: The Next Chapter, we are excited to further efforts to raise awareness about Apert syndrome and hope that it will have a positive impact on how others view individuals with physical differences in a very appearance driven world.