14-Year-Old 'Butterfly Child' with Rare Skin Disease Refuses to Let Condition Interfere with His Dreams

Meet the inspiring teen who refuses to let hi rare skin disease interfere with his passion for sports

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Nothing will stop 14-year-old Jonathan Pitre from spreading his wings.

Although the Canadian teen suffers from Epidermolysis bullosa, a rare disease causing his skin to blister in response to minor stimuli such as scratching or heat, Jonathan is as determined as ever to pursue his dream of breaking into the world of professional sports.

In a trailer for tonight’s inspiring ESPN E:60 segment, The Butterfly Child, Jonathan says his condition makes his body extremely delicate, rendering him unable to participate in athletics.

“We’re called butterfly children because a butterfly’s wing is as fragile as our skin,” he says in the emotional clip.

Jonathan explains that while his disease makes it impossible to pursue his dream of becoming a pro athlete, his passion for the game will never cease.

“I may not have the physical ability to become a professional athlete, but I’ve got a voice – and it’s powerful! With my voice, I can be a scout, a coach, a sportscaster. My options are limitless,” he told 16,000 students who came together for National We Day in April, a celebration of young people changing the world, the Ottawa Citizen reports.

“Great things do not come easily. But they do come when you try with your full heart, when you’re willing and open to embrace life, when you take things one day at a time and use what you’ve got,” he said.

The Butterfly Child will air Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.