Frank and Diane Elliott adopted Vladimir four years ago from an orphanage in Serbia after hearing that none of the other kids would play with him. The 7-year-old was born with anophthalmia syndrome, a rare disorder that caused him to be born without eyeballs and causes severe delays in the development of motor skills. .Frank, who works from home, said that sometimes it is a struggle to get Vladdy ready to go places, but he enjoys watching his progress every day. His genetic disorder affects about 1 in 300,000 individuals, usually with no history of the disorder in the family. When his biological parents found out that he would have special needs, they decided to give him up for adoption. . .The Elliotts have adopted eight children with special needs during the past 10 years. Diane Elliott herself has a physical handicap. She lost an eye because of cancer..Vladimir Elliott, 7, affectionately nicknamed “Vladdy,” celebrates with his father Frank Elliott, after putting his arms into the sleeves of his shirt.