PF.”THE 3-YEAR-OLD GIRL WHO WAS ALMOST BLIND AND DEAF NOW SMILES WITH HER NEW GLASSES: ESTHER LYLES’S MIRACULOUS JOURNEY WHERE FAITH TRIUMPHS OVER FATE”

In the viral photo, Esther smiles—a clear, shy, yet radiant smile. Few know that behind those new glasses lies a journey of survival that would leave any adult speechless.

Esther Lyles, 3, from McCalla, Alabama, was born with a diagnosis no family would be prepared for: encephalomalacia, cerebral palsy, and paralysis from the waist down. She is nearly completely blind, and doctors confirmed Esther was profoundly deaf from birth.

But that was just the beginning.

Infant brain damage caused Esther’s eyelids to curl inward—a condition called entropion, which causes eyelashes to constantly rub against the cornea, resulting in pain, inflammation, redness, and lasting scarring. For Esther, the world was not only dim—but also painful.

During those seemingly hopeless months, the first miracle occurred. At 18 months old, Esther’s hearing unexpectedly returned.

Since then, she has listened to over 1,000 audiobooks — each story a gateway to a world her eyes hadn’t yet had the chance to see.

Recently, Esther underwent surgery to correct her lower eyelids, preventing her eyelashes from hurting her eyes. After the surgery, she experienced respiratory complications and tested positive for RSV, requiring a four-day stay at the Children’s Hospital — once again keeping her family on edge.

But Esther made it.

She was able to go home just before Christmas — and has recovered remarkably.

Now, with her new glasses, Esther no longer squints in pain, no longer experiences prolonged redness and irritation. She sees more clearly. More comfortably. And most importantly — excitedly.

Esther’s mother, Hope Lyle, shared emotionally that they still have a long way to go, with upper eyelid surgery in the future. But right now, seeing their daughter rejoice at something so small is a priceless gift.

Esther’s parents, Caleb and Hope, call what they witness each day “Living Good News.”

Not because Esther is no longer ill.

But because their daughter is still alive, still feeling, still smiling—in her own way.

To the world, Esther is a child with many limitations.

But to those who know her story, she is proof that hope doesn’t need to be perfect to exist.

And sometimes…
a small pair of glasses

is enough to make the world a little gentler. 💛