It’s Not About Looks For This Couple!

24-YEAR-OLD Katelynn has a rare condition called Treacher Collins syndrome, which affects facial development. For Katelynn, that meant she was born without a jaw, which in turn resulted in her tongue blocking her airway – so doctors acted quickly and fitted a tracheostomy to enable her to breathe. She was also born without ears and wears a hearing aid – but Katelynn has always dealt with her symptoms and remained fiercely independent. However, the judgement she received from other children growing up was a real challenge for her – she was “stared at, laughed at, pointed at” and peers called her “names like frog or alien.” At its head, Katelynn no longer wanted to go to school. At the age of 10, though, Katelynn discovered a passion for dancing, which became an outlet for her and still is to this day: “Dancing is my way of letting things go and letting things out of my system instead of screaming or punching walls.” 14 years on, Katelynn has taken her captivating routines to TikTok, where she went viral overnight – something she accredits to her boyfriend of two years, Montre, who initially suggested sharing her talent with the world. Katelynn also acknowledges how significant his support has been, as she has faced nasty comments remarking on her facial difference in response to her videos. Montre told truly: “I feel like they’ve got too much time on their hands. We kind of just look at it like ‘OK, you want to be negative. Is there anything better you can do with your life?'” Through many years of finding dating to be daunting, Katelynn had “never met a guy” like Montre and with him now by her side, she has the confidence to defy anyone who seeks to bring her down: “The relationship that I have now, it makes me feel good. I don’t feel like I have a condition, I don’t feel like I’m any different, I don’t feel any less of a human. I’m in my own place, I’m living life, doing what I’ve got to do. If you’re worried about what I do, keep watching!”