A STORY OF MEI – Meet Mei
In his three short years, Mei Deavers has adapted to more than most adults have.
Born with limb deficiency in both arms and legs, Mei spent the first two years of his life in a
special-needs orphanage in China. That was where Tracey Deavers first met Mei while on a
trip with a group of college students in 2010.
Though Tracey and his wife Shannon already had four kids of their own, they were
considering adopting a child from China before the trip. Once he met Mei, Tracey knew the
young boy should become part of the family.
In November 2010, Tracey and Shannon brought Mei back to their home in Cochran, Ga. The
couple sought medical advice from several hospitals on how they could continue to make life
easier for their newest son.
Mei’s right leg required the most attention. The Deavers were encouraged that Dr. Schmitz
believed he could salvage the right knee, opting to amputate just above the ankle. Other
hospitals believed it was necessary to amputate above the knee, a step the Deavers wanted to
avoid if possible.
Both of Mei’s feet were amputated. A few months later, he was fitted for temporary prostheses
and received his new prosthetics. “The doctors said it would take Mei four to six weeks to be
up and walking on his new legs,” Shannon said. “But it only took him a couple of days before
he could walk across our living room.”
The everyday things 3-year-olds like to do—playing with toys and having fun with his
siblings—are well within Mei’s grasp. He takes obstacles in stride, inspiring his family and
others.
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