TLC’s Newest Star, Shauna Rae, Is A 22-Year-Old Woman Stuck In An 8-Year-Old’s Body
At just six months old, Shauna Rae was diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer. After rounds of chemotherapy left her pituitary gland almost dormant, Shauna Rae's growth stunted and she stopped growing.
Now, the 22-year-old is stuck in an eight-year-old's body and is about to become TLC's next big star in the reality series I Am Shauna Rae.
Brain Cancer Treatment Stunted Her Growth
Shauna Rae was diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer when she was only a baby. While she is healthy and in remission, the treatment stunted her growth.
On her show I Am Shauna Rae, she said, "My pituitary gland was rendered almost dormant because of the chemotherapy. The doctor told me I was done growing. My bones were fused, and my height is 3 feet and 10 inches".
Her Family Is Very Supportive
Life hasn't been easy for Shauna Rae due to her stunted growth and looking like she is years younger than her actual 22 years. Thankfully, the TLC star has a very supportive family.
Not only have her mom and dad been with her every step of the way, but Shauna Rae also has a very close relationship with her two sisters.
A Bathroom Chair Is Necessary
Shauna Rae is a small three-feet ten-inches, a short height for someone who is trying to navigate a normal household. The TLC star has had to become very creative to reach things, such as the bathroom mirror.
To get ready in the morning or for a night on the town, Shauna Rae has to bring a chair into the bathroom, standing on it to see herself in the mirror.
Online Dating Hasn't Really Worked Out
Shauna Rae is like any other woman in their 20s, wanting to go out in the world and date people her own age. Sadly, things have been a bit difficult with the TLC star, as online dating has attracted some questionable people.
The I Am Shauna Rae star has said that she is good at signaling out the creeps, though.
Full-Face Makeup Isn't A Daily Thing
As a 22-year-old who looks no older than eight, people might think Shauna Rae spends a lot of time in front of the mirror putting on makeup to make herself look older.
During an interview with People, Shauna Rae set the record straight, saying, "I usually don't do full-face makeup; if I do makeup, it's usually just eyeshadow and mascara. I don't like wearing a lot of makeup anymore."
It Doesn't Look Like Social Media Is Her Thing
When someone becomes a major reality television star, they tend to be on social media as much as possible, attempting to gain followers. Even before they hit it "big time," some people have large followings and a lot of pictures posted.
Shauna Rae couldn't be more opposite, having only a few pictures on her Instagram account and a few thousand followers.
She Hopes To Inspire Others
With her TLC reality series, Shauna Rae hopes to reach people with similar ailments and handicaps. She wants them to know that there are people in their corner.
According to Cheat Sheet, Shauna Rae said, "I want to reach out to people with other forms of dwarfism or other handicaps who don't feel like they have anyone in their corner."
She Wants To Be A Voice For Body Empowerment
Standing at three feet and ten inches, Shauna Rae wants to be the voice of body empowerment, something that is very important to the TLC star.
According to Cheat Sheet, Shauna Rae said, "I really want it to be a positive, body-empowering, female empowerment kind of thing because that's what I'm all about."
She Has A Vetting Process For Dating
According to Shauna Rae, she's only dated seven people in her life, and it's only after a bit of a vetting process. During an interview with People, she explained what has to happen before a date.
She said, "I have to have in-person conversations before we even think about going on a date. I have to know how this person reacts in public areas...it's a lot to ask someone to take on."
Mutual Respect Is Very Important To Her
Being a 22-year-old in the body of an eight-year-old can't be easy, and Shauna Rae wants people to know that mutual respect is very important.
According to Cheat Sheet, the I Am Shauna Rae star said, "I'm in this small body, and I'm a woman, and I have to be treated like a woman, and I want mutual respect for everyone no matter what their differences are."
She Has A Cameo Account
Shauna Rae is still very new to being a reality TV star. Even with her TLC series, I Am Shauna Rae, being released in early 2022, she is still making strides to connect with her audience.
The 22-year-old star is currently charging $25 on Cameo, a website that allows celebrities to send personalized messages and videos to fans.
No Prior Television Experience
Unlike some other reality television stars, it doesn't look as though Shauna Rae was found through her social media accounts.
It is actually pretty unclear how the 22-year-old was able to snag her own reality television show, considering it doesn't look as though she has ever been on television before.
Facts About Her Life Are Few And Far Between
Since Shauna Rae is very new to reality television, there really isn't too much information about the TLC star online. In fact, her last name is still a mystery to the public!
The one thing fans do know is that she is a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, native and has lived in the area her entire life.
She Learned She Wasn't Going To Grow Anymore At 16
While Shauna Rae was diagnosed with brain cancer at six months old, she didn't learn that she wasn't going to grow past three feet ten inches until she was 16-years-old.
During an interview with People, the TLC star discussed the hard period of her life. She said, "t probably was the lowest time of my life because I always imagined that I would be tall. And getting that news, it just kind of was like a hammer crashing into glass."
Her Mom Gets Negative Attention
While Shauna Rae likes dressing up, she says that, unfortunately, her mom, Patty, gets a lot of negative attention when she does.
During an interview with People, she said, "I think whether I'm dressed up or not, I get attention. I think when I'm dressed up, and I have makeup on, my mom gets negative attention."
She Loves Trying New Things
Even though her height is stunted and people tend to think Shauna Rae is much younger than she is, it hasn't stopped the reality television star from going out, living her life, and trying new things.
In fact, Shauna Rae loves trying new things, such as getting tattoos and pole dance exercising.
She Relates To Other People
According to Shauna Rae, even though her condition is very rare, she still relates to other people. During an interview with People, she said, " believe that my story is relatable to everyone because I've felt different my entire life."
"And it's not my situation that makes me relate to other people; it's the feelings. It's the emotional things that we go through."
She Isolated Herself For A Reason
When Shauna Rae learned that she would no longer be growing, she isolated herself. The thing is, she did it for the sole purpose of finding herself and learning to be happy again.
During an interview with People, she said, "I started doing online school, and I just really focused on me and what I wanted to do, and who I was as a person, and bettering myself."
Her Mom's Been Called A Liar
Sadly, Shauna Rae has heard people call her mother a liar to her face after she attempted to explain that her daughter is an adult and can make her own choices.
According to Patty's People interview, people have actually come up to her saying, "Oh wow, what is she doing? What is that kid doing?' And then I get the looks of 'How could you? How could you let your child dress like this?' "
Her Advice To Viewers: Be Positive
Shauna Rae was dealt a hard hand in life, but she has found the silver lining and has decided to be positive and not to bother being angry at things that are, sadly, out of her control. According to her interview with People, it's the message she wants to give her viewers.
During the interview, she said, "Being positive is just the best advice I can give because, at the end of the day, the only person that controls how you feel is yourself."
