A woman who died last week at the age of 20 never aged.
Brooke Greenberg, of Reisterstown, Md., puzzled medical professionals for years because she still looked and acted like a toddler. Doctors eventually dubbed her extremely rare condition “Syndrome X.”
"While the outside world may have noticed Brooke's physical stature and been puzzled by her unique development state, she brought joy and love to her family," Rabi Andrew Busch, who delievered the eulogy at the funeral, told the Daily News Monday.
"Her parents, three sisters and extended family showered her with love and respected her dignity throughout her entire life."
Brooke’s mother, Melanie Greenberg, said, ‘The older she gets, the more unbelievable it gets.’
In the womb, Brooke would not develop one month and play catch-up the next but that stopped around the age of 5 when all development stopped, her parents told NBC News.
“Brooke was a little on the small side, but nothing abnormal,” Brooke’s father, Howard Greenberg, told the station. “I mean you couldn’t really tell until you witnessed the birth and you saw Brooke.”
Brooke arrived one month early at just four pounds with a rare condition anterior hip dislocation. She needed surgery because her dislocated hips pushed forward and put her legs in an awkward position, pediatrician Lawrence Pakula explained.
Brooke’s family realized something was wrong when her younger sister aged past her. Nonetheless, the woman had a strong personal identity and loved her family and friends.
The family realized something was wrong as Brooke’s younger sister aged past her, so they brought her to see many different specialists in search of answers. But her condition baffled all of them.
Doctors told the Greenbergs to prepare for Brooke’s death several times. They even picked out a casket and clothing for her funeral years ago.
“The older she gets, the more unbelievable it gets,” her mother, Melanie Greenberg, told WBAL back in 2005.
Scientists studied Brooke’s DNA in hopes to learn more about human aging and extending youth, the local NBC affiliate reported.
Brooke Greenberg died last week at the age of 20 but she still had the appearance and mental abilities of a toddler.
“She literally is the fountain of youth if you think about it,” Howard Greenberg added. “She’s shown me that as hard as it gets sometimes, the next day it can only get better.”
Brooke reportedly developed a strong sense of individual identity later in life, enjoyed hugs, and loved her parents and sisters. She also grew rebellious in her teens and liked the Baltimore Ravens, her family said.
Brooke’s funeral was held 10 a.m. Sunday at Levinson Chapel in Pikesville. She was buried at Baltimore Hebrew Cemetery.
