The famous Shiloh Pepin died on Friday afternoon at the Maine Medical Center. She suffered a rare condition known as the “mermaid syndrome”. She was born with her legs fused together.

Right after her birth, doctors predicted she would only have a few days to live. But Shiloh, who was a “tough little thing” as called by her mom, lived to be 10 years old.

“Mermaid syndrome” is also known as sirenomelia. Having this condition meant one partially working kidney, no lower colon or genital organs, and fused legs from the waist down.

Some people who were born with the syndrome had their legs separated, but Shiloh can’t be operated on, because her blood vessels crossing from side to side in her circulatory system would have been touched. She already had two kidney transplants, the latest was in 2007.

Shilo’s story was featured on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” and other national television programs.

(via AP)