3-year-old boy with rare disease gets parade for his birthday

Nash Stineman just turned three, despite doctors saying he wouldn’t live to see his second birthday. To celebrate, his entire town threw him his own parade.

The 3-year-old has a rare neuromuscular disease known as SMARD that has no cure or treatment, CNN reported. The disease causes muscular weakness and a sudden inability to breathe in infants. Stineman founded her own nonprofit called Smash SMARD, which works to find effective treatments for kids with rare diseases, like Nash.

Nash isn't able to have a traditional birthday because he can't be around too many people with his weakened immune system. The community in his Chicago suburb decided to bring the party to him with a parade in his honor.

A parade of over 100 vehicles of all kinds made their way down the Stineman family's street to celebrate Nash.

"Nash's story is the reason we have so much community support," Nash's mom, Brittany Stineman, told CNN. "Yesterday was just proof of how much of an impact he has made through his horrible journey."

People threw banana pudding instead of candy because it is the only food Nash can eat by mouth. His mom said the parade made her feel optimistic about the future.

"It was a magical day," Stineman said. "It just made me feel so much more hopeful about what the next year could bring."