Boy, 10, given lifechanging diagnosis. What he asked next is heartbreaking

If it was not difficult enough to see her son receive a lifechanging diagnosis, a mom-of-four has revealed the heartbreaking questions the 10-year-old has been asking ever since.

In July 2026, Carrie Hauck’s world was turned upside down when a genetic test revealed that her son Emmett has Usher Syndrome type 3. It is a recessive genetic disease that causes the gradual loss of hearing and vision. Individuals may be born with normal hearing, but it will deteriorate in late childhood or adolescence, progressing to profound hearing loss. It may also cause balance issues, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Carrie, 35, from Utah, told Newsweek that there were “no warning signs” of Emmett’s diagnosis until he failed a hearing test in first grade. As his hearing continued to decline, he was given hearing aids, but doctors could not understand the cause.

“Doctors have done MRIs and CT scans to check for the cause of his hearing loss and those all came back normal,” Carrie said. “We did a genetic test afterwards and that’s when they found the markings for Usher Syndrome type 3. You never expect to take your child in for mild hearing loss only to discover they’re going to become blind and deaf by age 30.

“Cochlear implants will be an option for the future, and starting around puberty, Emmett will lose his night vision and then his peripheral vision. Eventually it will be like he is looking through straws."

Although there is no cure for Usher Syndrome, the family plan to do whatever they can to help Emmett. They plan to start by teaching him sign language and how to read braille.

Carrie says that her 10-year-old son has handled this lifechanging news as well as he could, much to her amazement. As he continues to process what this means for his future, he has begun asking many questions which have left his mom fighting back tears.

To date, Emmett has asked “who would even want to marry me if I can’t do anything?” followed by, “can I still become a doctor?” and “will I ever be able to drive a car?”

He has also told his mom that he feels like “the unluckiest person ever,” and believes his future children will “probably be mad” when he cannot do many activities with them due to his condition. At another point, Emmett said, “I tried plugging my ears and closing my eyes. It was horrible.”

These comments and questions are incredibly painful for Carrie too. While she tries to remain positive in front of her son, she has been equally devastated by his diagnosis.

Carrie told Newsweek: “The question about getting married and having kids seems to get brought up a lot. He’s always wanted five kids and dreams of being an ER trauma doctor. He’s always been extremely good at math and loves to play the piano.

“He doesn’t need this weight on his shoulders yet. When he goes to bed, I spend nights crying myself to sleep and feeling nauseous thinking about the future. It’s a lot to process.”

Nevertheless, Carrie shows her son examples of other inter-abled couples who have families of their own, as well as other people with Usher Syndrome who have still accomplished their dreams.

“I tell him that he is going to be an amazing person and someone everyone looks up to. This brings him a lot of hope,” she said.

As her other three children have a 25 percent chance of also having Usher Syndrome, the family awaits their genetic testing results.

Throughout this, Carrie has been documenting her family’s experience with Usher Syndrome type 3 on social media (@carriehauck81 on TikTok) as she hopes to raise awareness and educate others on the genetic condition. She often discusses the diagnosis, how it will affect Emmett as he gets older, and how they are coping with their new reality.

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