An Alabama toddler who drew worldwide attention after he was born without a nose has died.
Eli Thompson’s father, Jeremy Finch, posted the news Sunday on the social media site Facebook, a day after Eli was pronounced dead at Springhill Medical Centre in Mobile. Thompson had turned 2-years-old on March 4.
Finch’s post expressed sadness, saying, “We lost our little buddy last night. I’ll never be able to make sense of why this happened, and this will hurt deeply for a long time. But I’m so blessed to have had this beautiful boy in my life!”
Eli Thompson was born in 2015 without a nose as a result of congenital arhinia. Photo: Facebook
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Multiple media outlets report Thompson was born with congenital arhinia, an extremely rare birth defect that affects only one in 197 million births.
“He finished his race a lot earlier than we would have liked, but it was God’s time to bring him back home,” Finch’s post continued. “I’ll forever look forward to seeing him at the gates of Heaven waiting on me to give me another one of his famous fist bumps! I love you little man. Rest in peace with my Father.”
Eli Thompson in Children and Women's Hospital in Mobile, Alabama, in December. Photo: Facebook / Jeremy Finch
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Finch told Al.com that the family is finalising funeral arrangements.
