American nonfiction Writer whose works include a 2010 autobiography and a 2012 motivational work entitled Be Beautiful, Be You. She became famous for being one of only a handful of people in the world to suffer from Marfanoid-progeroid-lipodystrophy syndrome, which results in an inability to accumulate body fat.
As a result of Marfanoid-progeroid-lipodystrophy syndrome, she was bullied while growing up.
Also a motivational speaker, she became known for her anti-bullying activism.
She and her two younger siblings were born in Austin, Texas to Guadalupe and Rita Velasquez.
Her mysterious disease shared several key characteristics with progeria, a condition resulting in premature aging and death that affected television documentary subject Sam Berns.
