Woman, 8, Forgot The right way to Learn and Write After a Uncommon Dysfunction, Now She’s an Writer (Unique)

The summer season earlier than Axi Mok began second grade, she was a 12 months forward of her classmates in studying and math abilities. However early in September 2017, Axi’s trainer instructed her mother and father she was involved that one thing was fallacious with the once-star pupil.

“Hastily, she couldn’t learn or write,” says her father, Ken Mok, Los Angeles-based author, director, and founding father of the manufacturing firm, 10×10 Leisure, and a creator of America’s Subsequent Prime Mannequin. “She couldn’t write her title; she couldn’t bear in mind something.”

She couldn’t even depend to 10, her dad says.

“I used to be confused: ‘How come I can’t do that anymore?’” says Axi Mok, now 15. “It was actually scary.”

Axi was falling asleep at school. She may not stroll a straight line. And she or he all of a sudden spoke with a Canadian accent.

Her household, which additionally consists of her mom, Helie Lee, painter and creator of Nonetheless Life with Rice and Within the Absence of Solar, and her twin brother Brandon, did not know what to make of it.

“We began speeding her to physician’s appointments,” says Lee.

Docs have been unable to find out what was fallacious.

“We have been actually, actually apprehensive,” Ken says. “Docs have been baffled.”

In what Ken describes as a “stroke of luck,” the household had lately employed a nanny, who additionally labored as a housekeeper for UCLA neurologist Sheldon Wolf, and who facilitated an introduction. Over lunch, Lee defined her daughter’s sudden adjustments.

“I used to be very apprehensive,” neurologist Dr. Sheldon Wolf, 91, tells PEOPLE. “I apprehensive that the kid may need a mind tumor.”

An MRI, CT scan, and spinal faucet dominated out a mind tumor. However two blood checks got here again irregular. Wolf instructed the Moks that he believed Axi had a uncommon illness known as Hashimoto’s encephalopathy, a uncommon neurological dysfunction related to irritation of the mind that’s typically mistaken for Alzheimer’s.

“It assaults your mind,” Lee explains.

However, the excellent news, Wolf says, is that steroid remedies can cease the development of the illness.

The household traveled to see a pediatric neurologist at Harvard, who had handled 11 youngsters with the uncommon situation. He confirmed the analysis round Thanksgiving 2017.

Axi started steroid remedies. She gained weight from the steroids, which led to bullying at college. “She was struggling on many ranges,” her mom says. “As mother and father, it was simply excruciating.”

For 2 years, Axi obtained month-to-month, three-hour IVIG remedies at UCLA. Docs instructed her household that they hoped that when she hit puberty, her mind would start to heal.

Fortuitously, that’s precisely what occurred. From second grade to fifth grade, Axi could not do the best cognitive duties. However then, between sixth and eighth grade, she superior a number of grade ranges, her mom says. It took seven years to heal, however Axi was decided to do all the pieces she may to get higher.

“I was such pupil,” says Axi, now 15. “I used to like faculty a lot. Once I was behind all people else, it actually harm me.”

Axi requested her mother and father to rent tutors. As a part of her restoration, throughout her work together with her writing tutor, she started writing her first guide, The Journey to the Historical Iceberg.

“I needed to show to different those that I’m able to doing this,” Axi says. “I needed to show folks fallacious.”

The guide options her, Brandon, and their canine on an journey. In actual life, when the twins have been 10, she was forgetting classes she realized the day earlier than and getting medical remedies. However on the planet created in her guide, she fights Yetis and climbs icebergs.

“This guide was her secure place. She escaped to this world that was a cheerful place for her when she was in the true world, having numerous troubles,” Ken says.

The household lately self-published the guide. Axi, now a rising highschool sophomore, has virtually accomplished her second guide, The Journey to the Midnight Circus. She has additionally launched a web site and is planning the third guide in her collection.

Ken says his work with ANTM helped him imagine — even within the darkest moments — that his daughter would get well.

“It simply gave me hope that she may. Seeing how so many of those younger ladies pushed by means of their very own difficulties, it instantly helped me apply that to Axi to know that, okay, ‘This lady can do it,'” he says.

The household is sharing Axi’s story as a result of they wish to create consciousness of the uncommon illness their daughter battled and likewise to encourage different mother and father to belief their instincts and combat for his or her youngsters, her mom says.

“Her story is a supply of hope,” Lee says. “There’s at all times a light-weight and pleasure and optimistic expertise from any tragedy. She has risen from this darkness, and he or she is so targeted, so decided. We’ve by no means seen a toddler and even an grownup with this sort of focus, this dedication.”

Axi is now an achieved equestrian, runner, and guitar participant. She is taking all honors courses and incomes straight A’s. Her father is very impressed by her A-plus in Algebra.

“She’s actually come again with a vengeance,” her father says.  “I’m so happy with her.”

Axi’s recommendation to different children: “All the time work laborious. Attempt your greatest,” she says. “Hold making an attempt. You’ll be capable to obtain no matter you need. That’s what I’ve executed.”

To learn extra about Axi Mok and her guide, choose up the difficulty of PEOPLE on newsstands nationwide Friday.