CHICAGO -- There was a time, in her younger years, when Monserrat Moran, lived for her dreams, just like any other kid. She wanted to be an artist, fall in love, have her own family and buy a home. But as she grew older, she was constantly reminded that she was different from everyone else at her Chicago high school, and that perhaps those dreams would never come true.
Monse, as her mother calls her, is now 35. She was born with phocomelia syndrome, a birth defect characterized by severe malformation of the extremities.
In her case, Moran’s arms and legs are severely shortened and she does not have hands. Against all odds, she learned to draw and paint, and even crochet. And although she has her mother’s support, the rest of her family does not believe she could ever be independent, she said.
