BOSTON, Massachusetts (CNN) -- She was called "the littlest refusenik," one of the many Soviet Jews denied permission to leave the Soviet Union because her father had been exposed to government secrets. But the case of Jessica Katz was special because she was a baby born with a nutritional deficiency that stopped her from growing. She was a tiny baby dying in a Moscow hospital, getting weaker by the day. It was U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy who, her parents say, eventually saved her life. Jessica was born in Moscow in 1977 with malabsorption syndrome, which prevented her from digesting food or milk properly. All she needed was baby formula, but it wasn't available in the Soviet Union.
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Jessica Katz was born with nutritional deficiency that stopped her from growing
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The Katzes were among many Soviet Jews denied permission to leave country
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Senator Kennedy traveled to Soviet Union, urged Brezhnev to let Katzes leave
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In U.S., Kennedy helped Boris Katz get a job and remained in touch with family
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Soviet Union
At first, Katz said, he didn't believe him, sure that the @placeholder authorities would find a way to scupper the plans.
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Soviet Union
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Soviet Union
Despite the report, however, the @placeholder authorities denied it, Katz recalls.
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On landing in Boston, @placeholder was the first person they met.
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She got engaged last year, on the same weekend @placeholder's cancer diagnosis was announced to the public.
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Kennedy
@placeholder, she said, proved that some politicians have a desire to accomplish good things and fight injustice.
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"He's from the fanciest, most powerful family in @placeholder, and probably in the country, and he decided to spend his time helping out me and my family."
Ted Kennedy
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And that may be the best thing @placeholder has left behind.