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Maris Brown was born on June 4, 1997, in Hollywood, Florida. His very existence was a miracle; during her pregnancy, his mother, Shannon James, was faced with a life-and-death decision. Doctors advised her to give up the baby to save her own life or carry on and risk dying. Shannon chose to keep Maris, and after delivering him two weeks early, she suffered kidney failure, spending the next five years on dialysis.
The challenges were enormous. With Shannon unable to work, the family relied solely on Social Security and government disability assistance, barely covering their basic needs. Despite these hardships, Shannon labeled Maris as her "miracle baby," setting the stage for his future determination and resilience.