This is one of those stories that makes me feel incredibly fortunate -- and beyond grateful -- to have two healthy children. Not because 9-year-old Clara Beatty isn't an amazing kid who fills her parents with absolute joy. It's precisely because Clara Beatty is such an amazing kid -- and watching her suffer must fill those same parents with absolute sorrow.
I'm afraid I'd let the sorrow take over, but Janet and Eric Beatty must have big enough hearts to handle it all, because Clara seems like a sincerely happy and normal child in spite of her rare condition: Treacher Collins Syndrome.
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Treacher Collins Syndrome is a genetic mutation that causes severe facial deformities which can make simple things like eating and breathing extremely difficult. But on the inside, Clara is a kid like any other, and by some miracle of parenting wisdom or love or grace, I think she knows she's a kid like any other.
The best part is, that's exactly what her friends think, too. Of course Clara gets questions and looks from strangers (which she calls "annoying"), but her classmates are so used to seeing Clara as "normal" that apparently they didn't even understand why reporters came to their school to do a story about her.
The most remarkable thing the kids could come up with about Clara?
"She's awesome."
Indeed.
Seriously, how 'awesome' is this kid?
Image via AssociatedPress/YouTube
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Comments 6
She is really amazing I saw photos online of her helping to mentor other students w. disabilities and it was precious.
She is an amazing child! There are countless just as amazing children out there who have disabilities (the kind you can see and the kind you can not see). The way you wrote your story kind of set my teeth on edge. Saying that you are grateful that your kids are healthy and normal and saying that other kids didn't see this child as normal and that the parents must be filled with sorrow because they have such a good kid, really perpetuates the idea of Normal and Not Normal. Of them and us. Of Good and Not Good. I know you were trying to be nice. But try not to be condescending along the way.
She is one awesome kid
Wow. The self esteem and intelligence of this girl is incredible. She's adorable and blessed with great parents. It's true that you don't see the deformities. I was more focused on what a wonderful child she is!