PORTLAND (AP) – Shiloh Pepin, a courageous girl born with fused legs, a rare condition often referred to as “mermaid syndrome,” and gained a wide following on the Internet and U.S. television, has passed away at the age of 10. Against medical predictions that she would only survive for days after birth, Shiloh defied the odds. She breathed her last at Maine Medical Center on Friday afternoon, as confirmed by hospital spokesperson John Lamb. Shiloh had been in critical condition for nearly a week.
Born with “mermaid syndrome,” also known as sirenomelia, Shiloh faced the challenge of having only one partially working kidney, no lower colon or genital organs, and legs fused from the waist down.
While some children with sirenomelia have undergone surgery to separate their legs, Shiloh couldn’t undergo the procedure due to the risk of severing crucial blood vessels in her circulatory system. She had previously received two kidney transplants, with the last one performed in 2007.
Her inspiring story recently featured on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” and other national television programs. Shiloh’s mother, Leslie Pepin, shared that her daughter contracted a cold that escalated into pneumonia earlier this month. Shiloh was admitted to Maine Medical Center on October 10 and placed on antibiotics and a ventilator.
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A fifth-grader at Kennebunkport Consolidated School, Shiloh left a lasting impact on those around her. “She was such a shining personality in that building,” remarked Maureen King, chairwoman of the board of the regional school district. Counselors will be available next week to support students.
Through television appearances, news articles, Facebook, and other websites, Shiloh became an inspiration to many. One heartfelt message on Facebook read, “I live in Iowa. I have cerebral palsy. I love your video. You have a great personality, and I wish you lived close so we could be friends and hang out. You opened my eyes because you are so brave.”
In this December 20, 2007 photo, Shiloh Pepin can be seen laughing with her parents while sitting on a counter in the family’s Kennebunkport, Maine home. Pepin, who was born with fused legs, a rare condition often called “mermaid syndrome,” passed away on Friday, October 23, 2009. She was 10.