Barack Obama has seen a lot of difficult moments in his time as the former US President, but nothing could have prepared him for the feelings he would experience upon learning of his daughter Sasha’s devastating medical diagnosis at birth.

The politician and his spouse, Michelle, are pleased to be the parents of two grown, content, and healthy children, Malia, 25, and Sasha, 22.

But when Sasha was stricken with meningitis at the age of three months, Barack and Michelle’s world fell apart.

 “People ask me what was the hardest time in my life — they ask, well what about during the debt ceiling debate and this and that and the other thing.” Barack disclosed the diagnosis while out on the 2012 campaign trail.

Sasha got meningitis when she was three months old. I still remember going to the hospital together and they had to give her a spinal tap.”