Ben Kjar was born with Crouzon syndrome, and as a young boy, doctors told him that he would live a different life…and that’s exactly what he’s done!
Ben is Utah Valley University’s first-ever NCAA Division 1 Wrestling All-American. At 40 years old Ben represented the USA at the World Championships in Greece and became a World Champion in Greco-Roman Wrestling and won a silver medal in Freestyle Wrestling.
Ben is an international professional speaker and has told his story to millions around the globe, in front of crowds of up to 10,000 people!
The award-winning film, STANDOUT: The Ben Kjar Story, is at the end of its Film Festival tour and has garnered prestigious awards at every festival it’s been part of. He’s excited to publicly share it with the world in theaters on January 23, 2026.
Ben and his wife, LaCol, are proud parents of three beautiful, adopted children, all six years old and younger.
Mary L. Marazita, PhD, is a Distinguished Professor of Oral and Craniofacial Sciences in the School of Dental Medicine, and Professor of Human Genetics at the University of Pittsburgh, where she has been a faculty member since 1993. She has more than 520 publications for her research in the genetics of craniofacial birth defects, oral health traits, facial variation and other traits. Further, she has been continuously funded by the NIH since her first grant was awarded in 1985. Dr. Marazita’s studies have led to collaborations with colleagues across the USA, and in more than 15 other countries, representing all continents except Antarctica.
