Amare Stover was born with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), a disorder that causes tumors to grow uncontrollably across his body, especially on his head and face. The tumors have swollen his left eye completely shut, leaving him blind in one eye and at risk of losing vision in the other. They have also created severe learning difficulties and forced doctors to insert a permanent tracheostomy tube in his throat to keep his airway open. Yet despite everything, Amare remains a joyful, energetic little boy who loves running, playing sports, and living life just like any other child his age.

His mother, Kandice Stover, 30, from Decatur, Alabama, watches her son face stigma and cruelty every single day. “He has tumours all over his head — there are a lot of them and they have grown to be very large,” she says. “The size of them affects him a lot. He gets made fun of, gets stares from people whenever he goes out in public, and has been called a ‘monster.’ Some of the children won’t play with him or say he is ‘ugly.’ It makes it really hard. I don’t understand why people can’t just be kind.”

The bullying cuts even deeper around Halloween, when adults have asked Amare where he got his “mask” from. Kandice gently tells her son, “You are just like any other eight-year-old. Some people can be unkind, but you don’t have to worry.” In her eyes, Amare is perfectly normal — a boy who runs, laughs, and dreams, even as the tumors continue to grow.

The journey began the moment Amare was born, when his left eye appeared slightly swollen. Doctors soon diagnosed glaucoma and NF1. A neurologist worked urgently to reduce pressure on his eye caused by tumors pressing against the eye socket. During one MRI scan, Amare suddenly stopped breathing because the tumors had grown into his throat, nearly blocking his airway. That terrifying moment led to the placement of a permanent trach tube. “Doctors gave him a trach tube because they thought one day he might stop breathing in his sleep,” Kandice recalls. “Before that, he used to snore badly from struggling for breath.”

Amare has endured multiple laser treatments and five years of chemotherapy in an attempt to shrink the tumors — yet the medication has not worked. His left eye is now completely closed, and his right eye is worsening rapidly. Doctors have warned the family that Amare may soon lose his sight and hearing entirely. They have even advised Kandice to begin learning braille so she can teach her son.

Later this month, Amare will meet with plastic surgeons to explore whether they can remove some of the tumor mᴀss around his eyes in a desperate bid to save his remaining vision. As a single mother, Kandice has carried the heavy burden alone since Amare was four months old. His father is not in the picture. She has lost her home, struggled to find steady work because of frequent hospital visits, and relied on friends and public transport to get Amare to appointments five times a month. She is now fundraising to cover medical bills, travel costs, and basic needs for her family.

Through it all, Amare’s spirit shines. He squeezes through every challenge with a smile and the heart of a normal eight-year-old who simply wants to play and be accepted. His story is more than a medical battle — it is a powerful call for compᴀssion in a world that too often stares, judges, and looks away.

Amare Stover is not a “monster.” He is a brave little boy living with NF1, facing growing tumors and a society that still needs to learn kindness. With surgery on the horizon and his mother’s unwavering love, Amare continues to prove that true strength is measured not by appearance, but by the size of one’s heart.