(KRON) — On March 4th a very special baby came into this world. Eli Thompson was born healthy, with one exception.  The baby has a rare mutation causing him to be born without a nose.

“The day I delivered, everything went fine,” mom Brandi McGlathery said.

“At 4:42 when he was born, he came out and the doctor put him on my chest. When I took a closer look at him, I said, ‘He doesn’t have a nose,’ and they took him out of the room.”

The doctors came back, and explained Eli’s condition, which occurs to 1 in 197 million babies.  The condition, congenital arhinia is so rare there have only been 43 recorded cases.

The condition impacts breathing, but with the help of a ventilator, Eli is a much happier baby.
His parent’s won’t do anything to alter his appearance until Eli is old enough to decide for himself.
His parents say “He’s perfect the way he is.”