NBC News Chief Foreign Correspondent Richard Engel has announced that his six-year-old son, Henry, tragically passed away.
Engel shared the sad news in a tweet on Thursday (August 18).
"Our beloved son Henry passed away. He had the softest blue eyes, an easy smile and a contagious giggle," the anchor wrote.
"We always surrounded him with love and he returned it, and so much more," he continued, before signing off: "Mary and Richard."
Alongside the message, Engel shared a photo of his son smiling, and a link to a memorial page on the Texas Children’s Hospital website where more details about Henry's life were explained.
The page described how Henry was diagnosed at a young age with a "mutation in his MECP2 gene" which caused Rett syndrome - a rare developmental disorder.
On the Texas Children's Hospital page, the syndrome is described as 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."
After his diagnosis, Henry's family took him to the hospital's Duncan Neurological Research Institute in 2018 to try to understand more about his condition.
(U.S. Army Photos by Monik M. A. Phan)
Meanwhile, his father was open about his son's health issues, sharing candid updates on Henry's condition and reflecting on the difficulties of parenting a child with special needs. In March, his updates became more serious as he revealed that Henry's health has "taken a turn for the worse".
"His condition progressed and he’s developed dystonia: uncontrolled shaking/ stiffness. He was in the hospital for 6 weeks, but is now home and getting love from brother Theo," he explained on Twitter.
In the wake of Henry's tragic passing, his family have asked that those who wish to honor his memory contribute to the ongoing research efforts of Henry's doctor, Dr. Huda Zoghobi.
"He continues to be an inspiration for Dr. Zoghbi and her team as they work to find effective treatments for Rett syndrome, and they already are making significant progress with Henry’s own cells," their memorial page reads.
Dr. Zoghbi, meanwhile, shared her own tribute, writing: "Henry was special in so many ways. His loving and endearing smile, and the way he connected with his eyes, stole my heart from the time I met him. His quiet fight against this terrible disease was incredible."
"We will continue to push as hard as possible to develop treatments. This is how we will honor his life," she added.
