Hero Inspires with Persistence, Resiliency and a Smile

Hudson was born with fetal alcohol syndrome, and was adopted by his mother at the age of 1. When she first met Hudson, he was smiling. She said he couldn’t move or do much of anything given his circumstances, but he still smiled, and that has been consistent throughout Hudson’s 6 years of life. Not only does his smile continue, but Hudson can now do so much more because of the resilient young man that he his.

Hudson also has congenital heart disease, as well as visual impairment. He has undergone 18 surgeries which is more than many people have in a lifetime. His mom shared that Hudson will absolutely not give up when something is hard. Hudson has sensory issues, and the foaming hand soap at the hospital would bother him. Instead of letting that stop him from using the soap all together, Hudson continually used the soap until it no longer bothered him. He was able to overcome that specific sensory issue due to his persistence.

“As a Child Life Specialist, I do my best to help patients cope with the procedure they are about to undergo. I was shocked to hear all that Hudson had been through, because he displayed such a calm, joyful demeanor,” said Brooke Griffin from INTEGRIS Children’s in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. “It was obvious that Hudson spreads joy wherever he goes, because I did not see one person, doctor, nurse or other medical staff leave Hudson’s room that morning without a smile.”

Hudson is inquisitive, happy and kind. He’s also the first to go hug and comfort someone when they need it most. He is resilient, and has worked extremely hard to get to where he currently is. Hudson was nominated by his Child Life Specialist Brooke Griffin, and Kids Wish Network is so happy to honor him as a Hero of the Month.