I know a girl, she’s about my age… She’s like any other person, but not in the same ways, she is my chosen cousin, her name is Abbey.

Abbey is a lovely girl, a kind soul….. She was born severely disabled, but that doesn’t stop her. First of all, she gives the best hugs you could ever imagine, and just because she can’t speak doesn’t mean she can’t listen. I love her so much, and I wanted to write this story in her honour, a story about the best girl in the world.

Who’s Abbey? What makes her so important, you ask? My answer is, she is just another person in this world, but in my world, she is one of the most important people, she is family. When people look at Abbey, they shouldn’t see a broken person that can’t be fixed, a child that should be discarded. Sadly some people do, and how I feel when people judge Abby like that is like a million bees in my stomach ready to burst out. When I look at Abbey, I see a person, a wonderful friend, a cousin that deserves to be seen and included. I see the value in her life, I see Abbey.

The world knows of a few people who have achieved great things but have faced great challenges in their lives, people like Abbey who were and are mentally or physically disabled. They achieved the things that I believe Abbey can achieve, and more with the help of friends and family.

Stephen Hawking was an amazing man who died a few months ago. He was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease in 1963, giving him only two years to live. Stephen fought that horrible disease for way longer than that, he went on to Cambridge and became a brilliant researcher and professional fellow at Gonville and Caius College. And he also achieved other great things, like completing two books and getting various awards.

Helen Keller was born blind, deaf and mute, but she still achieved great things. She became an Author, Political Activist and Lecturer, she even got into Alabama Women’s Hall of Fame, and she even earned a bachelor of arts degree!

As you can see, just because a person can’t see, or speak, read or walk, it doesn’t mean they can’t do anything. In fact, the way I see it, overcoming these difficulties makes them even more special than the rest of us. I believe that everyone can achieve what they strive to be. I believe that Abbey can reach for the stars and achieve greatness.

You see, the value of a human life is important. Whether you’re chubby, thin, tall or small, we all deserve to live happily. Sure some people do bad things, but that’s their choice, and they give up their happiness to take that path…. My advice is to live life to the fullest, spend every day like it’s your last, have fun and be happy!

-Cheyenne

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