NBC News correspondent Richard Engel has announced the death of his child in a heartbreaking post on Twitter.

6-year-old Henry, Engel’s oldest son, died on August 9 following a long battle with Rett syndrome, a rare developmental and neurological disorder that affects brain development.

“Our beloved son Henry passed away. He had the softest blue eyes, an easy smile and a contagious giggle. We always surrounded him with love and he returned it, and so much more,” the 48-year-old journalist and his wife, Mary Forrest, wrote in a joint statement.

Paying a tribute to the young child was also Texas Children’s Hospital which recalled the boy as a “true hero” who helped inspire researchers to discover a treatment for the disorder caused by a rare genetic mutation.

“Henry Engel was born on September 29, 2015. When he was still an infant, his parents noticed that he was not reaching his developmental milestones, and he underwent numerous medical exams to discover the cause,” the hospital wrote.

“A genetic test ultimately provided the answer: Henry had a mutation in his MECP2 gene. MECP2 mutations cause Rett syndrome, a disorder that typically affects girls after their first birthday, robbing them of learned skills and leaving them with cognitive deficits, loss of speech, and a variety of motor difficulties.”

The tribute to the 6-year-old went on to praise the boy for making the most out of every single day and “working tirelessly” on his developmental and physical therapies.

The hospital also credited Henry for inspiring researchers who allegedly made “significant progress” using Henry’s cells.

Our thoughts are with Mary and Richard during this challenging time.

 

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