A 17-year-old Lexington teen is recovering after a bone marrow transplant treated a rare genetic condition that previously claimed the life of his older brother.
Julian Gonzales was diagnosed with adrenoleukodystrophy, or ALD, a rare genetic disorder that affects the brain, spinal cord and adrenal glands and damages the membrane that covers nerve cells. Research shows ALD affects approximately 1 in every 20,000 males.
While navigating typical teenage milestones — learning to drive and working at Chipotle — Gonzales was also undergoing chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant as part of his treatment…