Abbey Vlada Smoot was born with a condition that affects 1 in 100.000 people.
It’s called Klippel-Trénaunay syndrome, and from day one it set the pace of her life: things that are everyday errands for almost everyone else can become mountains for her. That’s how her brother describes it in an Instagram post.
But there’s a place where the water gives her back what routine takes away. Wake surfing is one of the activities that lets her feel the same freedom everyone else feels.
What surprises her brother most isn’t just that she has faced challenges most people can hardly imagine, but the way she does it: he says he can’t remember a single time he’s heard her complain about the hand she was dealt. She doesn’t let what she can’t do take away from what she can. She keeps smiling, staying present, and making the most of everything.