My Hero

My hero is not a famous movie star. It is not a politician or writer. She hasn't done anything famous or tried to change the world. But she changed my world. My hero is twelve but she was five when I met her. Colleen is happy. She loves to color and watch Full House. She loves the color pink (especially her pink glasses) Colleen has cerebral palsy. It is a disease caused by an abormality in the brain that controls muscle movement. The battle between her mind and her body occurs in every second of every day. Each step she takes must be precisely calculated. Exact hell and toe placement is crucial in keeping her balance. Sometimes the focus becomes too inteanse, and she loses concentration in school, but that does not mean she stops trying. The phrase "No I can't!" never escapes from her lips. After seven agonizing surgeries and countless hours of physical therapy, her tolerance for pain is extremely high. Colleen doesn't think much of minor bumps and bruises; they are second nature to her. Not much can slow her down because she is a fighter.
In her short lifetime, she has not only overcome phsyical hurtles but emotional ones as well. Intolerance from some of her peers is something she experienced at the tender age of nine. Girls teased her and made fun of her. They threw balls at her legs in gym class in an attempt to make her fall. They tried to tear her apart, butthey did not suceed because Coleen has come too far to let them affect her world. She has struggle many times in her short lifespan./ Her life is far from easy. There are many more challenges she has to face as she gets older. her determination is admirable, and I know she will succeed.
This past summer, both of our families spent a week's vacation in Walt Disney World. As we stood in line to meet Cinderella, Colleen smiled at me in anticipation. "I wish you were my sister, Lauren. I want to be just like you," she said. "I wish you were my sister, Lauren. I want to be just like you," she said. I was surprised. Colleen looked to me as a role model, when all along she has always been mine.