For Liam's parents, the most pressing challenge is feeding the boy enough protein every day to fuel his body's high performance motor. The wiry, but muscular, toddler eats six full meals per day and still struggles to gain weight.
Dr. Larson, the first physician to suspect Liam had myostatin-related muscle hypertrophy, said he was amazed by the toddler's strength.
"He was able to grab both of my hands and nearly do an iron cross," Dr. Larson said. "This is not something that happens for most men, ever, and here is this kid with this kind of power."
Larson said Liam's strength gives him a huge edge over other children, physically and in terms of self-confidence.
"When you've got that kind of power and that kind of strength, the world is open to you," Larson said. "He's agile because he's so strong -- when you've got that incredible power as a kid you're going to try a lot more things."
Liam's father, a die-hard University of Michigan fan, already is dreaming big things for his adopted son.
"I want him to be a football player. He could be the next Michael Hart," Neil Hoekstra said, referring to U-M's star running back.
Medical challenges at birth
Neil and Dana Hoekstra endured a rocky road on the path to adoption that eventually led them to Liam.
