Disfigured Boy Overcomes the Odds

A medical miracle is giving new life to a little boy who was born with fast-growing tumor on his face. INSIDE EDITION reports on his triumphant story.

Just imagine facing the world with a massive growth that has left this 3-year-old horribly disfigured. A deformity so shocking people cruelly called him the elephant boy.

"People would stop and stare. Quite a few kids would start crying and run away from him," said Nicole Flynn.

From the day Maddox Flynn was born, it was obvious to his mom Nicole that something was terribly wrong.

"I was terrified. I didn't know what it was," Nicole told INSIDE EDTION.

The small tumor began growing at an alarming rate. It blinded his right eye and distorted his mouth making speech almost impossible. Doctors didn't know how to treat it.
 
"I was very determined. I was going to find a doctor. Because, throughout the whole world, there has to be somebody," said Nicole.

Help would come thousands of miles away.

Looking at a photo of Maddox, renowned New York vascular surgeon Dr. Milton Waner diagnosed Maddox with a lymphatic malformation.  

"By the time he's 4 to 5-years-old it could potentially be double the size," Dr. Waner diagnosed.

Maddox was flown from his hometown in Edmonton, Canada to New York City's Roosevelt St. Luke's Hospital.  

Mike Flynn carried his son to the operating room. Removing the massive growth is an extremely complicated undertaking that took 12 hours of surgery.

"I had to reposition his nose, and his lip, and the corner of his mouth," said Dr. Waner.

Maddox emerges from the O.R., and his parents race to his bedside. The sight of their little boy's face, tears and all, has them overcome with emotion.

"This is a dream come true," said Mike.

"I started crying. I held him and told him how proud of him and that he looks beautiful," said Nicole.

Just 3 months later, and still healing, the mass is now gone from Maddox's face.

But, there are more surgeries to come. Today, he's undergoing a critical procedure to save his eye by removing scar tissue.

His transformation is astounding. The little boy who once scared people away is now proudly showing his new face to the world.