Wonderfully Made

From the moment Hugh Dermott O’Connor—later to become Francis Joel Smith—was conceived, God’s perfect plans for his life were already in motion.

Born with Treacher Collins syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that affects the formation of the face during the first trimester of pregnancy, Infant Hugh’s face was so severely deformed emergency surgery was performed moments after his birth just so he could breathe. Soon thereafter, he was deemed deaf and retarded. If Infant Hugh survived, it was be...