'Having a disability doesn't really change me:' Lowcountry teen defies odds

SUMMERVILLE, SC (WCSC) – A Summerville high school student took the hand she was dealt in life and turned it into something doctors told her she never could.

Grayce Woodall, 16, was born with caudal regression syndrome. Also known as sacral agenesis, caudal regression syndrome, is a very rare disorder that affects only about one to three newborns per 100,000 births. The disorder affects the lower half of the spine and lower body development. This can lead to several other complications.

When Woodall was born with eight vertebrae missing in her spine, she was given a list of things she could never do, such as walk, crawl or sit up. Yet, alone, she defied all odds.

“I do everything they said I couldn’t do,” Woodall says.

Woodall's grandmother, Marti Jenkins, was there to see it all.

“She stood up. She walked. She crawled. She did everything,” Jenkins says.

Jenkins says Woodall did all this on her own.

Today, at just 16 years old, Woodall has not only defied all the odds stacked against her, but she is also on track to graduate high school with an associate's degree and is a published author.

This year she published a children's book. The book was inspired by the anger struggles of her 11-year-old brother. She wrote the book as part of a school project that could help other angry kids find healthy ways to cope.

The book, however, became much more than just a school assignment.

Woodall ended up publishing the book called “Jamie's Bad Case of Anger,” and it is now available for purchase online. She plans to use the profits to fund her tuition.

Woodall says that growing up, because she couldn't do the same things as other kids, she focused solely on her studies. She hopes to continue writing and one day pursue an academic career at UNC Chapel Hill.

“I think she’s an extraordinary child, an extraordinary human. I think she overcame everything they said she would never do and more,” Jenkins says. “She’s going to do what she wants.”

Although many agree that Woodall's story of perseverance is inspiring, she hasn't always received positive reactions from those around her. Woodall says she has experienced a lot of animosity throughout her life due to her disability.

“I walk by people and they say ‘poor girl’ or they make car noises or something,” Woodall says. “There’s nothing different about me than anyone else, other than the fact that I’m in a wheelchair and that’s it.”

She emphasizes that she wants to be known for her writing and not for her disability. Caudal regression syndrome is only part of it; that doesn't define it.

“Having a disability doesn’t really change me. Like everyone else, I live my life so it seems normal to me,” says Woodall.

Jenkins says this has been a theme throughout Woodall's life. She says she is so proud of her granddaughter and her name suits her perfectly because she is the epitome of grace.

“We don’t want her to feel different because she’s not. She’s just Grayce,” Jenkins says.

In typical Woodall fashion, she doesn't let anyone or anything bring her down. She has overcome and she has overcome, and she doesn't let what others have to say bother her. Her only hope is that her story can inspire others to do the same. She wants others who might be going through a similar situation to know that they can do anything they want. She wants to be an inspiration to people to follow their dreams, write this book, and never let anyone stop them from doing what they love.

“I want a lot of people to know that you can overcome anything. You will probably be more successful than people who make fun of you and are rude to you,” says Woodall.

Woodall is living proof that people can truly do anything they want, even when it feels like the world is against them.

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