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Living with half her brain, but full of hope

Toddler Katie Verdecchia and her mom, Maryalicia, visit Skyridge Middle School to tell students about Katie's unusual surgery

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Maryalicia Verdecchia talks with students about her 2-year-old daughter Katie's rare brain operation. Despite having more than half of it removed in a surgery to help stop seizures, the toddler is excellent at spelling and putting together puzzles, and enjoys playing on her iPad, as seen here.

When Katie Verdecchia entered the world on March 31, 2008, she appeared to be a normal, healthy child.

But by the time she was one month old, her parents, Maryalicia and Brian, knew something was wrong.

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