At 24 weeks pregnant, Sara Heller learned her baby had a cleft lip and palate. She and her partner, Chris Eidam, were shocked—but quickly decided that their son, Brody, would be loved and celebrated no matter what.

Instead of hiding his condition, they shared photos of Brody online to raise awareness and show the beauty in differences. “We wanted to change what newborn pictures look like on social media,” Sara said.

Cruel comments inevitably came, like one stranger asking, “What’s wrong with his face?” But Sara chose to respond with kindness and education—not anger. “That’s what I want Brody to do one day—for other cleft kids who don’t have a voice yet,” she said.

Soon after, a stranger’s unexpected act of kindness brought her to tears: they anonymously covered part of Brody’s medical bills.

Brody has since had multiple surgeries and continues to face challenges with eating. But his journey has sparked love and support from people across the country, reminding Sara and Chris that compassion is everywhere—and their little boy is helping lead the way.