Jordan Ellis
Kaleb, the ambassador for Shriners Hospitals for Children, is doing well. In 2021, social media users falsely claimed that he had died. The hospital dispelled these rumours, clarifying that the story involved another child with the same name. Kaleb, who has osteogenesis imperfecta or brittle bone disease, has been a patient at Shriners since his first surgery as a newborn. He has since broken his bones over 200 times and undergone 11 surgeries. In 2024, at 16 years old, Kaleb shared his inspiring story of courage with millions around the world.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Kaleb Torres |
| Other Names | Kaleb-Wolf De Melo Torres |
| Age | 16 years |
| Disease | Brittle bone disease/osteogenesis imperfecta |
| Number of Surgeries | 11 |
| Number of Broken Bones | 200+ |
| Status | Alive and well |
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What You'll Learn
Kaleb Torres is alive and well
Kaleb Torres, the ambassador for Shriners Hospitals for Children, is alive and well. In February 2021, social media users falsely claimed that Kaleb had died. However, these rumors were dispelled by the hospital, which confirmed that Kaleb was doing well. The rumors may have stemmed from the death of another boy with the same first name, Kaleb Holder, who passed away in February 2020.
Kaleb Torres was born with brittle bone disease, also known as osteogenesis imperfecta, and has broken his bones over 200 times, undergoing at least 11 surgeries. Despite these challenges, he has not let his condition stop him and is now stronger than ever, learning to stand and walk on his own. He has been a patient at Shriners Hospitals since his first surgery at just seven days old and has appeared in their advertisements and appeals to donors throughout his childhood.
In a 2024 interview with East Idaho News, Kaleb, then 16 years old, shared his inspiring story of courage with millions around the world. He has also been featured in a video posted to Shriners' Twitter account, where he appears healthy and happy.
Shriners Hospitals for Children is a system of 22 children's hospitals supported by the Masonic Shriners International fraternity. The hospitals provide life-changing medical care to children with various conditions, including orthopedic issues, severe burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate. Through the generosity of donors, they have helped over one million children lead more fulfilling lives, regardless of their families' financial situation.
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Kaleb has osteogenesis imperfecta or brittle bone disease
Kaleb, the ambassador for Shriners Hospitals for Children, is doing well. He has osteogenesis imperfecta, also known as brittle bone disease, a genetic disorder that causes bones to be fragile and break easily. The disease ranges in severity, with mild cases resulting in a few fractures and severe cases leading to many medical complications. Kaleb has broken his bones more than 200 times and has undergone at least 11 surgeries. He has appeared in Shriners' advertisements and has shared his inspiring story of courage with millions around the world.
Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is an inherited bone disorder present at birth. It is characterized by bones that are soft and break easily, as well as bones that are not formed normally. The symptoms of OI can vary, with some people experiencing mild symptoms such as a few fractures, while others may have more severe complications like breathing problems, hearing loss, or issues with their teeth. In some cases, OI can lead to potentially life-threatening conditions such as tearing of the major arteries or pulmonary valve insufficiency.
The main goal of treatment for OI is to prevent deformities and fractures. While there is no way to prevent the disease, treatments such as rodding surgery can help improve mobility and may enable some individuals with severe OI to walk. The disease is caused by mutations in the genes that carry the instructions for making type I collagen, a material that helps to strengthen bones. These genetic defects can lead to a lack of collagen or the production of incorrect collagen, resulting in weak and fragile bones.
OI is a lifelong condition, and Kaleb has been a patient at Shriners Hospitals since his first surgery as a newborn. Despite his condition, Kaleb has grown up to be a courageous young man who has inspired many with his story.
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He has broken his bones over 200 times
Kaleb, the ambassador for Shriners Hospitals for Children, was born with brittle bone disease, or osteogenesis imperfecta. He has undergone 11 surgeries and broken his bones over 200 times. Despite these challenges, Kaleb has not let his condition stop him and is now stronger than ever, learning to stand and walk on his own.
Kaleb's first surgery was when he was just seven days old, and he has been a patient at Shriners Hospitals ever since. Shriners Hospitals is a system of 22 children's hospitals supported by the Masonic Shriners International fraternity. The hospitals rely on donations to provide life-changing medical care to children like Kaleb.
Kaleb has appeared in Shriners' advertisements and appeals to donors throughout his childhood. He became well-known for participating in awareness campaigns and fundraising advertisements for the hospital. In February 2021, rumours began circulating on social media that Kaleb had passed away. However, these rumours were false, and the hospital confirmed that Kaleb was doing well.
Kaleb's story is an inspiring one of courage and resilience. At 16 years old, he has already faced challenges that many of us could never imagine. Despite his condition, he has remained strong and determined, working hard to learn to stand and walk on his own. Kaleb's positive attitude and strength have inspired millions of people around the world.
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Kaleb has undergone 11 surgeries
Kaleb, the ambassador for Shriners Hospitals for Children, has undergone 11 surgeries. He was born with osteogenesis imperfecta, also known as brittle bone disease, and had his first surgery when he was just a newborn, only seven days old. Since then, he has broken his bones more than 200 times and has had to undergo at least 11 surgeries. Despite these challenges, Kaleb has not let his condition stop him. In a 2024 interview, at 16 years old, he shared that he is learning to stand and walk on his own and is even stronger than ever.
Kaleb's story is one of courage and resilience. He has appeared in Shriners' advertisements and fundraising campaigns throughout his childhood, raising awareness and funds for the hospital that has supported him. Shriners Hospitals is a system of 22 children's hospitals supported by the Masonic Shriners International fraternity. They provide life-changing medical care to children like Kaleb, regardless of their families' ability to pay, thanks to the generosity of donors.
In February 2021, rumours circulated on social media that Kaleb had passed away. These rumours were false and were clarified by the hospital, which stated that Kaleb was doing well. The rumours were a result of confusion with another boy of the same name, Kaleb Holder, who had passed away in February 2020 from a rare genetic brain condition.
Kaleb's bravery and determination have inspired millions around the world. His story showcases the impact of Shriners Hospitals for Children and how their compassionate and innovative care improve the quality of life for children facing various orthopedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate. Through donor support, Shriners Hospitals have helped over one million children lead more fulfilling lives.
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Kaleb is learning to walk and stand
Kaleb is learning to stand and walk on his own. He has had osteogenesis imperfecta, or brittle bone disease, since birth and has broken his bones more than 200 times. He has also undergone 11 surgeries.
Kaleb has been a patient at Shriners Children's Hospital since his first surgery at just seven days old. He has been the face of Shriners Hospitals for Children Canada, appearing in advertisements and appeals to donors throughout his childhood.
Kaleb's inspiring story of courage has been shared with millions around the world. In an interview with East Idaho News, Kaleb said:
> I was born with brittle bone disease, but I didn't let that stop me and I'm learning how to stand and walk. But I can only do all of this because of generous people like you and Shriners Hospitals for Children.
Kaleb's progress is a testament to his strength and resilience, as well as the life-changing medical care provided by Shriners Hospitals for Children, which is made possible through donor support.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Kaleb is doing well. He is learning to stand and walk and appeared healthy in a video posted to Shriners' Twitter account.
Kaleb was born with brittle bone disease, or osteogenesis imperfecta.
Kaleb has broken his bones over 200 times.
Kaleb has undergone 11 surgeries.
In February 2021, there were internet rumours that Kaleb had died. These rumours were false and were a case of mistaken identity.
