ALL SMILES NOW!

Because of a rare condition, Jade has undergone groundbreaking surgery in which her facial bones were separated from her skull

- LAVERN DE VRIES

HER Instagram feed tells a story of pure joy – frame after frame of graceful pirouettes, confident jazz hands and radiant smiles that light up the screen, along with captivating videos showcasing stunts that seem to defy gravity.

But until recently, dancing and smiling with such ease seemed like an impossible dream for Jade Metivier.

The 16-year-old from Kansas City in the US was born with a cleft lip and palate, which can cause feeding and speech difficulties. When her parents, Christi and Mark Metivier, adopted her from China as a two-year-old, they immediately arranged corrective surgery.

Everything seemed fine until Jade, who’d become a talented and passionate dancer, turned 11. While her forehead and chin continued developing normally, the central bones of her face had essentially stopped growing.

Simple activities like eating pizza or chatting with friends became daily struggles as her facial bones grew disproportionately. It also created breathing difficulties and a severe underbite that made her increasingly self-conscious.

In 2023, Jade underwent three groundbreaking reconstructive surgeries at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center. The most complex procedure involved craniofacial surgery – where doctors literally separated her midface bones from her skull and gradually moved them forward using metal devices with cranks.

The Metiviers spent nearly two months in New York City while Jade had treatment, including surgeries, physical therapy, dental care and speech therapy. Throughout it all, the teen's spirits stayed remarkably high – she even caught a Broadway show while wearing a hat to cover her medical prongs.