Las Vegas ‘Baby Incredible Hulk’ dies after battle with rare genetic disorder
By Joe Vigil
Click here for updates on this story
LAS VEGAS, Nevada (KVVU) — The parents of Niko Gastelum nicknamed their son baby “Incredible Hulk” because of all he’s endured dealing with a rare genetic disorder called 5q31.3 Microdeletion Syndrome.
Niko’s mother Susana Gastelum tells FOX5 Niko entered hospice care recently after his health deteriorated and he passed away Friday night.
In January, the parents said the disorder prevented Niko from breathing on his own and he had to be hooked up to a breathing and feeding tube 24-hours a day. They also said he would not be able to walk for the rest of his life.
The parents said they were speaking about their son to raise awareness of the genetic disorder as they searched for a geneticist to help their son. They planned to move to San Diego to be close to doctors before Niko’s health started to worsen.
His mother says they are planning a celebration of life in a few weeks.
The family set up a GoFundMe to help with Niko’s medical care, along with travel expenses to try and find a doctor who could help Niko. She says people can still donate to the GoFundMe for Niko’s funeral expenses.
“March 3, 2023 @9:16pm. Our son took his last breath. He passed in our arms. Thank you all for your support, We are Forever Grateful,” read an update on the GoFundMe.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.
