A couple, both affected by dwarfism, decided to have children, despite the high risk that their child could inherit the condition . Ignoring doctors’ warnings, they gave birth to two children and adopted three more from Russia, Korea, and China . Today, they hold the title of the world’s largest family of little people . The Johnstons are an exceptional American family where all seven members suffer from achondroplasia, a rare genetic disorder that affects growth.
This condition results in disproportionately short limbs, while all family members have normal-sized torsos and heads. The Johnstons are currently the largest family of little people in the world.
The family consists of two parents: Trent and Amber, both of whom have achondroplasia. They have been married for almost 26 years, and despite their unique condition, they initially hesitated to have children.
When Amber started dreaming of motherhood, she faced the risk of passing on the condition, with a 50% chance that their child could inherit it. However, despite the risks, the couple went ahead and had two biological children, John and Elizabeth. After two successful pregnancies and the birth of their children, Trent and Amber wanted to expand their family but were concerned about the potential risks of further pregnancies.
Thus, they decided to adopt. Their family grew by three adopted children: Anna from Russia, Alex from South Korea, and Emma from China. The adoption process was relatively straightforward, as dwarfism is often seen as an undesirable condition in some countries.
“We were determined to teach our children to adapt to the world around them,” Amber says. “So they could step out into the bigger world from their small house and achieve everything they desire.”