00:00 COMM: Like a real life Peter Pan, Nick Smith
will never grow up.
00:07 Aged 20 and only 35 inches tall, he's one
of the world's smallest men.
00:15 Here in Jefferson, Georgia, Nick's family
are in a race against time to give him the best life they can.
00:23 Shelly: He to me is still that child that
never really grew up.
He still loves every holiday, believes in Santa Claus, believes in the Easter Bunny,
Halloween.
00:35 COMM: He's one of only a handful of people
worldwide suffering from Primordial Dwarfism and most don't make it past their 20s.
00:42 Shelly: The biggest thing is a want him to
feel that he is just like everyone else.
00:49 COMM: While the condition has given him a
tiny stature, Nick's two brothers, Levi and Travis, tower over him at a huge six foot
five inches each.
01:00 Shelly: He requires and wants a little bit
more from me than the other brothers, you know, they've gone ahead and they've grown
up.
Their needs are more met and they've matured.
01:11 We have this connection, it's an unbelievable
connection, just this bond.
I can't even imagine day without him.
01:17 You're my superhero, aren't you?
01:21 COMM: Nick is in his final year of high school,
where he gets a special education to prepare him for life after school.
01:30 At school, tiny Nick is a big character.
01:32 Julie: Nick does not see any difference between
himself and anyone else.
There are times when he'll say 'I'm as tall as you are!' and we say 'Yeah, you're tall',
but he truly doesn't see that he's any different than anybody else.
01:49 Nick: Boo!
01:55 Woman: What you doing?
How are you?
That was a good hug.
02:00 He comes in every morning up here and greets
us with a smile and some pushups and some muscles, you know, gives us some great big
strong hugs.
02:11 He's definitely a ladies man.
02:25 COMM: Alongside his small stature, Nick's
condition means he faces a number of health risks - like strokes, brain aneurisms and
ongoing kidney problems.
02:36 Shelly: Nick is such a happy person and the
medical part of it is just something that we have to do unfortunately.
No-one wants to go through it, but we want to have the most normal life as we possibly
can.
02:52 You want to talk to Hannah?
02:53 Nick: Yeah, Hannah.
02:54 Shelly: All the way in Minnesota?
02:55 Nick: Yeah, Minnesota
02:56 COMM: To help manage the health risks, Shelly
and other parents around the world share information to safeguard their children and try and prolong
their lives.
03:05 Shelly: Hey, so you're out of school now today?
03:08 When somebody's gone through the same situation
as you have, it does give you a little bit of comfort knowing that, you know, you're
gonna get through it and you're not the only one who's walked that walk.
03:17 Mom: Love you guys
03:18 Shelly: You have a great day.
Have fun at ballerina.
03:21 COMM: While they're not dealing with medical
challenges, or educating Nick for his adult life, the family focus on making sure he enjoys
life to the fullest.
03:32 Levi: That's cheating!
03:37 Shelly: We want all our kids to have a happy
life, but the biggest thing is I want him to feel that he is just like everyone else,
and he is.
03:51 He still lives in I think in a beautiful place.
It's kind of not reality, but it's in his world.
He's still going to achieve and be whoever he wants to be and that to me is a beautiful
thing.
04:04 Nick: Beat that!
Beat that!
04:11 Shelly: Up on the bed so I can get you your
medicines.
04:16 To me, he's still that child who never really
grew up.
04:20 Sweet dreams.
Don't let the bedbugs bite.
04:23 Nick: Yeah, yeah.
04:24 Shelly: See you later, alligator.
I love you.
04:27 Nick: I love you too mum.
04:29 Shelly: See you in the morning.