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TIKTOK dance sensation Aleazia is a local celebrity in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky but his journey to this point has been challenging from day one. He was born with a super rare condition called cystic hygroma, which caused large fluidfilled cysts to form on his face. Doctors performed "lifesaving surgery" on Aleazia as a newborn baby, as the cysts were blocking his airway, preventing him from breathing. Since then, he has lived with a trach, which acts as "another airway for safety reasons" something that has proven crucial to Aleazia, as he suffers from regular swelling of his neck and face. The swelling occurs "every two months" on average and causes Aleazia such "agony" that he has to stay in hospital for pain treatment. Growing up, Aleazia's condition meant he faced severe bullying with other children in the neighbourhood calling him "Mr Potato Head" and "Quagmire." His parents were his rocks through it all and gave him the confidence to ignore the namecalling, but when they passed away in 2019 and 2020 respectively, Aleazia remembers feeling "alone." Despite everything he has been through, as well as continued abuse online, Aleazia has been supported by friends and family and found escapism in his love of dance. For the past 11 years, he has been performing to passersby on the Big Four Bridge in Louisville and made a name for himself locally and on TikTok. But Aleazia does not do it for the fame and fortune as he told truly: "When I'm dancing I forget all my troubles I can be myself, I feel free."

Follow Aleazia:
  / aleazia_world  
  / the_real_aleazia  

Videographer: Nate Spicer
Producers: Kim Nguyen, Tom Buckman, Courtney Buabeng
Editor: Alex Saunders

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