NBC News foreign correspondent Richard Engel shared on social media that his 6-year-old son passed away. Henry was diagnosed with a rare genetic neurological disorder called Rett Syndrome nearly seven years ago,
Engel said his son was “always surrounded him with love, and he returned it, and so much more.”
“Researchers are making amazing progress using Henry’s cells to help cure RETT Syndrome, so others don’t have to endure this terrible disease,” Engel added on Thursday, sharing a link where donors could support research at the Texas Children’s Hospital.
According to Fox News, Engel, 6, began to miss critical developmental milestones. Their doctor later informed them after a genetic scan that he had the disorder due to a mutation in his MECEP2 gene. Unfortunately, his condition took a turn for the worse two months ago.
“Henry was special in so many ways,” Dr. Huda Zoghbi wrote on a donor site. “His loving and endearing smile, and the way he connected with his eyes, stole my heart from the time I met him.
