A TEENAGER has died after a rare condition left her with the body of a 100-year-old

2 years ago
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A TEENAGER has died after a rare condition left her with the body of a 100-year-old

Ashanti Smith had been living with the ultra rare premature ageing condition Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome, which saw her age eight years for every year of her life.

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Ashanti Smith had been living with the ultra rare premature aging condition Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome - when she turned 18 she was able to enjoy a cocktail Credit: Kennedy News
Tragically, the 18-year-old died on July 17, telling her heartbroken mother that she had to “let me go”.

Her mum, Phoebe Louise Smith said her daughter lived her life to the fullest and had refused to let the illness affect her “loud and beautiful spirit”.

Despite her body being the equivalent of a 144-year-old when she passed away, Ashanti was still able to enjoy turning 18 in May with a night out, drinking her favourite cocktail.

The teen died with her mum, dad Shaine Wickens, 33, and a family friend, Kayleigh Cartwright, 25, by her side.

Distraught mum-of-four Phoebe who lives in West Sussex has now shared details of her daughter's funeral, which she hopes will feature four white horses, feathers, Pride flags and BTS memorabilia - as Ashanti was a huge fan of the K-Pop band.

Her friends have launched a JustGiving page to help crowdfund for the send off which they say will help celebrate her life.

Phoebe said: "Ashanti's life was a joy. Even though progeria affected her mobility, it didn't affect anything else.

"She was a typical, stroppy 18-year-old and I loved everything about her. She was brilliant, she was gobby. She spoke her mind and everyone knew it.

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Ashanti and her mum Phoebe were able to have a girls' night about before she died earlier this month Credit: Kennedy News
What is Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome?
PREGORIA is a rare condition which is sometimes referred to as the ‘Benjamin Button’ condition

Progeria causes accelerated ageing, with sufferers commonly displaying ailments associated with old age.

The Progeria Foundation says: “Children with Progeria begin to display many characteristics of accelerated ageing within the first two years of life.

“Progeria signs include growth failure, loss of body fat and hair, aged-looking skin, stiffness of joints, hip dislocation, generalized atherosclerosis, cardiovascular (heart) disease and stroke.

“The children have a remarkably similar appearance, despite differing ethnic backgrounds. Children with Progeria die of atherosclerosis (heart disease) at an average age of fourteen years.”

People with progeria often have small, frail frames compared to their heads, and have a distinctive appearance of a shallow jaw and pinched nose.

They also suffer full-body alopecia – where they have no hair.

Often the physical appearance caused by their condition becomes more pronounced as they get older.

"It didn't affect her heart, her willpower or the way she felt about herself - she felt beautiful every day. I made sure of it every day.

"Everyone loved and adored that little girl. She touched their hearts so much with her willpower.”

On the day Ashanti died, Phoebe said she had been walking around the park as normal, and had even enjoyed a KFC.

“Then it came on suddenly and it was about half an hour.

"She struggled but she said 'Mum, I love you. You've got to let me go'."

GIRLS' NIGHT OUT
Phoebe insists that Ashanti had been treated like other teenagers and had even tried a Sex on the Beach cocktail with her mum and her friends to celebrate her 18th birthday.

Phoebe said: "She was louder - louder than me - and I'm a very loud person.

"There are photos of her first getting ID'd. We all took her out to the

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