Courage spurs on little legend Lexie, who shows a true fighting spirit

LEXIE Wilson is three-years-old but she can already read a clock to work out when it’s 6pm.

Lexie Wison 3 was diagnosed with Larsen syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that affects the development of bones and connective tissue between them. She has to wear an amoury of orthotics to keep her body together and stable, for 23 hours a day until she is about 10. Parents are nominating her for the "child od courage" category for the Pride of Australia awards. : Picture Tony Gough

LEXIE Wilson is three but she can already read a clock to work out when it’s 6pm.

That’s the time she can bust out of her orthopedic armoury for just one precious hour of freedom, for a stretch and run around, bath and dinner.

The youngster from Rutherglen, in northwest Victoria, was born like an Olympic diver, her body folded in half with her feet touching her nose.

She was diagnosed with Larsen syndrome, a one-in-100,000 genetic lottery that affects the development of bones and the connective tissue between them.

Most of her first year alive was spent in a plaster cast from the waist down, after surgery at the Royal Children’s Hospital in ­Melbourne to release muscle and tendon pressure on her hips and knees.

During a reprieve from surgery between the ages of one and two, Lexie defied the odds and learnt to walk. But last year her spinal curve worsened and she was fitted with a neck brace to wear for 23 hours a day to stop her spinal cord kinking.

Parents Hannah and David have nominated Lexie for the Child of Courage category in the Pride of Australia Awards.

“She’s definitely courageous. Nothing seems to faze her,’’ Mrs Wilson said.

“She’s ­always trying new things, like trying to ride a bike, even though she kept getting her leg stuck. She climbs outside, she jumps off things. Nothing stops her.”

As she prepares to start kindergarten next year, Lexie’s favourite activity is making up singing and dancing routines that she

videotapes.

Mr Wilson said Lexie continued to be a mystery for doctors — whose best guess is

that she would be wearing the neck, leg and chest brace until she starts high school —

but she continued to amaze them all with

her ­resilience.

“A lot of people in her situation would just lie down, do nothing, be an invalid,” he said.

“She’ll try something and if she can’t do it, you’ll watch her over the next few weeks, she’ll keep trying and she’ll be able to do it soon enough.”

Do you know a local legend? Nominate them by clicking here.

Originally published as Courage spurs on little legend Lexie, who shows a true fighting spirit