A milestone in my life was when I was about 4 and in pre-K. I was just living my normal life like any 4-year-old. One day after school my mom was supposed to pick me up, but I wasn't picked up by her. My dad and stepmom picked me up almost an hour late, and they seemed really stressed. I was confused and nervous but didn't ask questions.

They met my grandfather at a store, and said, “Stay here we’ll be right back”.

“Okay,” I said.

I was trying to listen in on the conversation, but I barely heard anything. Then they got back in the car, and we drove to the hospital. I remember being in the emergency room, and I saw my grandmother who was a nurse at the time. She came out of the room, and I went to hug her and she practically ignored me. She went to talk to my dad and stepmom to tell them what was wrong. I listened to her, and I heard that my mom and two sisters had been in a car accident. I didn't want to cry because I wanted to seem mature, but I was really scared. My mom couldn't get the care she needed, so she was transported by helicopter to Maine Med. Supposedly she stopped breathing, and the doctors resuscitated her. Luckily she turned out okay, and there weren't any long term effects for her.

My sister Emily on the other hand was hurt, but I didn't know how bad it was. She was in the hospital for around a month. The doctors pretty much said she was paralyzed from the waist down and would never walk again. Then she and my dad went to Philadelphia because there was a certain hospital that could help her. I was playing with my sister when my grandmother who was watching us told me that. I felt super scared for her, but I had to seem unbothered. I pretended I didn't hear it, so my sister Alyssa wasn't scared.

Around 9 years later we're all still here, and my sister is only paralyzed from her ankles down now. Some people look at her and feel sorry for her. But I've noticed I stare back or give people dirty looks. It normally happens at the store or at a public event. Sometimes at school people act sad and feel bad for her, but she's a normal person just like anyone else. I'm trying to be a better person and not stare or give dirty looks anymore, but sometimes I just can't control myself, because I'm so used to doing it. I realized that most people haven't been exposed to a child in a wheelchair. So I have to think about it from their perspective and forgive them for being rude.

© Bella. All rights reserved. If you are interested in quoting this story, contact the national team and we can put you in touch with the author’s teacher.