News

A Never Aging Maryland Girl Dies At 20

By Michelle Gil | Update Date: Oct 29, 2013 10:02 PM EDT

A 20-year-old from Maryland, who never aged because of a health condition called syndrome X, has passed away.

Brooke Greenberg, the daughter of Howard and Melanie Greenberg never grew past the size of an infant. 

"The family is doing as well as can be expected," Chris Cole, a colleague of Brooke's father, told ABCNews.com today, reported ABC. "They are going through their traditions this week -- the shiva."

Her funeral was held on Sunday at a synagogue outside of Baltimore. 

Brooke weighed 16 pounds and was 30 inches tall in 2009. Her mental capacity was that of a two-year-old and she couldn't speak. ABC reported that although she couldn't speak she was able to laugh when her family was around because she recognized them and was happy.

"In her first six years, Brooke went through a series of medical emergencies from which she recovered, often without explanation," ABC reported. "She survived surgery for seven perforated stomach ulcers." 

In addition ABC reported, "She had a brain seizure followed by what was diagnosed as a stroke that, weeks later, had left no apparent damage."

Doctors diagnosed Brooke with a brain tumor at the age of 4 when she fell into a lethargy for 14 days. 

"We were preparing for our child to die," Howard Greenberg told ABC in 2009. "We were saying goodbye. And, then, we got a call that there was some change -- that Brooke had opened her eyes and she was fine. There was no tumor. She overcomes every obstacle that is thrown her way."
At age 16, Brooke had her same baby teeth. 

"In some people, something happens to them and the development process is retarded," said Richard F. Walker, a retired medical researcher from the University of Florida Medical School who had followed Brooke's case. "The rate of change in the body slows and is negligible."

According to Walker the bodies of children with syndrome develop independently and are out of sync.

"While the outside world may have noticed Brooke's physical stature and been puzzled by her unique development state, she brought joy and love to her family," Rabbi Andrew Busch told the New York Daily News. "Her parents, three sisters and extended family showered her with love and respected her dignity throughout her entire life."

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