Lizzie Velásquez
| Lizzie Velásquez | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Elizabeth Ann Velásquez March 13, 1989 Austin, Texas, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Other names | Lizzie Velásquez |
| Alma mater | Texas State University |
| Occupation |
Motivational speaker First spoke with Barbizon modeling acting agency in 2014 |
| Known for | Public speaking, anti-bullying activism, public appearances, and book authorship |
| Parent(s) | Rita Velásquez Guadalupe Velásquez |
Elizabeth Ann "Lizzie" Velásquez (/ˈlɪzi vəˈlæskɛz/; born March 13, 1989) is an American motivational speaker and author. She was born with a rare congenital disease that, among other symptoms, prevents her from accumulating body fat. She has also been diagnosed with Marfan syndrome. Her conditions resulted in relentless bullying during her childhood and ultimately inspired her to take up motivational speaking.
The eldest of three children born to Rita and Guadalupe Velásquez, Lizzie was born on March 13, 1989, in Austin, Texas. Born four weeks prematurely, her birth weight was only 1.219 kilograms (2 pounds, 11 ounces).
Velásquez studied at Texas State University until late 2012, majoring in communication studies. She is a Roman Catholic and has said of her faith, "It's been my rock through everything, just having the time to be alone and pray and talk to God and know that He's there for me."
Velásquez's condition is an undiagnosed and non-terminal genetic disorder that bears similarities to many other conditions, especially progeria. Medical researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center have speculated that it may be a form of neonatal progeroid syndrome, which does not affect Velásquez's healthy bones, organs, and teeth.
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