In the wake of a tragedy, it is often all too easy to focus on the negative or to allow ourselves to be defined by it.
Our unique personal struggles should not be taken for granted, but they shouldn't be perceived by others as the end of the world. Dayna Dobias doesn't allow her cerebral palsy to stop her from dancing, and Louisa Manning didn't allow her bullies to stop her from being happy.
When Alissa Sizemore was seven years old, she and a group of friends were playing outside.
After running past a few garbage bins, Alissa ran into the street and was hit by a UPS truck. The UPS truck ran over her foot, as a result, doctors had to amputate her leg.
There's no way to spin it: Losing a leg would be an overwhelming hardship for anyone. However, for Alissa, who had been dancing since she was four years old, the news would hit even harder.
Experiencing self-doubt and image issues, Alissa's mother, Heather, reassured her: "I told her, 'You're still you. A prosthetic or a [lost] leg doesn't change who you are. You're still Alissa.' "
With her own determination and plenty of encouragement from her parents, Alissa returned to dance class. At just eight years old, she wasn't going to give up.
Inspired by singer Colbie Caillat's "Try," a ballad about inner beauty, Alissa completed her first dance solo to the song at the Powerhouse Dance Studio.
Alissa dances wearing her prosthetic leg fearlessly, but what she does at 1:47 truly took my breath away. The eight-year-old is clearly proud of who she is and an inspiration to us all!
SHARE if you admire this courageous little girl!
