He’s a trooper! Little People, Big World star Tori Roloff has revealed how her 4-year-old son, Jackson, is doing after he received surgery to “help correct the bowing in his legs.”
“We’re home and little man is doing better than we could ever have asked!” Tori, 30, shared via her Instagram Stories on Tuesday, November 30. Alongside the message was a sweet photo of her and her eldest as he gave a thumbs up. “Thank you all for the sweet notes and prayers!! We felt so lifted up today!”
Earlier in the day, the TLC star shared on Instagram a photo of Jackson lying in a hospital bed.
“Our sweet Jackson had surgery today to help correct the bowing in his legs,” the soon-to-be mom of three wrote. “This kid time and time again blows us away. He was so brave and confident. He made [Zach Roloff] and I so proud as he talked with the doctors and nurses and was wheeled away without worry.”
Tori went on to say that the experience was one of “the hardest days” she had ever had.
“Watching your child in pain is never something a parent wants to go through,” the photographer wrote. “However, we are trusting his doctors and our Lord that this was the best decision for him.”
Family members were quick to send their thoughts and prayers to the family and “baby J.”
“Love you Jackson. So brave!” Audrey Roloff, who is married to Zach’s brother, Jeremy Roloff, commented. Tori’s other sister-in-law, Isabel Sofia Rock, who is expecting her first child with husband Jacob Roloff, added, “Love you buddy, you’re one tough cookie.”
“This Grandpa is cheering my little fella on!” Matt Roloff shared.
Jackson and his sister, 2-year-old Lilah Ray, were born with achondroplasia, the most common form of dwarfism. Their father, Zach, 31, was born with the same form. Recently, Tori shared the happy news that she and Zach are expecting baby No. 3 on November 17 and discussed the possibility that their third child will also be born with achondroplasia.
Bowed legs are a common side effect of achondroplasia, and both Tori and Zach have kept an eye on Jackson’s growth. The pair previously voiced their concern about their son’s bowed legs, especially since Zach had to have multiple surgeries to fix his own bowed legs. When the reality star was still a child, one of those surgeries consisted of having his leg broken in three places to have metal plates inserted into his legs to help them straighten.
“As you can imagine, the recovery was painful. I had to take lots of painkillers and I slept a lot,” Zach previously said of the experience.
During season 2 of the reality show, Zach had to have screws added to his legs to help with his mobility.
Naturally, the couple wanted to be proactive when it came to Jackson’s health. During a previous episode of LPBW, they discussed how early action might lead to a better quality of life for their son.
“I think with Jackson’s legs, it’s mostly just like, I don’t want it to get to a point where he’s hurting because I’m pretty sure it’s gonna have to be dealt with at some point in his life, and I just want to make sure that we’re ready to move on it,” Tori said while chatting with Zach. “I just don’t want to let it go too far. I want to know how to avoid two surgeries like you had.”
It’s unknown what surgery Jackson received or what his recovery will look like, but it is certainly a good sign that he’s at home recovering with his family.