My legs don't do much because I have a serious disease.
My
legs
do
n't
do
much
because
I
have
a
serious
disease
.
_ just sit there and look pretty.
_
just
sit
there
and
look
pretty
.
When people look at me, they only see the chair--my wheelchair.
When
people
look
at
me
,
they
only
see
the
chair
--
my
wheelchair
.
I've been in one since I was 3 years old.
I
've
been
in
one
since
I
was
3
years
old
.
And it doesn't matter if I graduate at the top of my class and go to law school.
And
it
does
n't
matter
if
I
graduate
at
the
top
of
my
class
and
go
to
law
school
.
To some, I'll always be the girl in the chair.
To
some
,
I
'll
always
be
the
girl
in
the
chair
.
But I don't think of myself as the kid who can't walk.
But
I
do
n't
think
of
myself
as
the
kid
who
ca
n't
walk
.
Most of my friends don't even notice the chair anymore.
Most
of
my
friends
do
n't
even
notice
the
chair
anymore
.
I'm just the girl they've been friends with.
I
'm
just
the
girl
they
've
been
friends
with
.
My friends are good at lifting me in and out of my small car when we go to the movies.
My
friends
are
good
at
lifting
me
in
and
out
of
my
small
car
when
we
go
to
the
movies
.
We even took the car to the dance.
We
even
took
the
car
to
the
dance
.
One of the boys helped me out of the car and all the girls helped me to fix my dress.
One
of
the
boys
helped
me
out
of
the
car
and
all
the
girls
helped
me
to
fix
my
dress
.
Even in the crowded school elevator, there's always someone around to carry me.
Even
in
the
crowded
school
elevator
,
there
's
always
someone
around
to
carry
me
.
There are a lot of things I can't do for myself, such as lifting my arms, dressing myself, and feeding myself.
There
are
a
lot
of
things
I
ca
n't
do
for
myself
,
such
as
lifting
my
arms
,
dressing
myself
,
and
feeding
myself
.
Even so, I do very well at school and I always tell myself that I'm just like any other kid in my school.
Even
so
,
I
do
very
well
at
school
and
I
always
tell
myself
that
I
'm
just
like
any
other
kid
in
my
school
.
The truth is that my parents raised me to be proud of my disability.
The
truth
is
that
my
parents
raised
me
to
be
proud
of
my
disability
.
There are plenty of things I wish I could do differently.
There
are
plenty
of
things
I
wish
I
could
do
differently
.
I wanted to be a doctor.
I
wanted
to
be
a
doctor
.
But that's not going to work out.
But
that
's
not
going
to
work
out
.
So I'll be a lawyer instead.
So
I
'll
be
a
lawyer
instead
.
I also wanted to dance and play soccer.
I
also
wanted
to
dance
and
play
soccer
.
My parents taught me that I'm like this for a reason--to educate people and show them that this disease affects my bones--not my brain.
My
parents
taught
me
that
I
'm
like
this
for
a
reason
--
to
educate
people
and
show
them
that
this
disease
affects
my
bones
--
not
my
brain
.
My friends Erica once said to me, "Kennedy, you're not disabled.
My
friends
Erica
once
said
to
me
,
``
Kennedy
,
you
're
not
disabled
.
You just can't walk."
You
just
ca
n't
walk
.
''
My legs don't do much because I have a serious disease. _ just sit there and look pretty. When people look at me, they only see the chair--my wheelchair. I've been in one since I was 3 years old. And it doesn't matter if I graduate at the top of my class and go to law school. To some, I'll always be the girl in the chair.  But I don't think of myself as the kid who can't walk. Most of my friends don't even notice the chair anymore. I'm just the girl they've been friends with. My friends are good at lifting me in and out of my small car when we go to the movies. We even took the car to the dance. One of the boys helped me out of the car and all the girls helped me to fix my dress. Even in the crowded school elevator, there's always someone around to carry me.  There are a lot of things I can't do for myself, such as lifting my arms, dressing myself, and feeding myself. Even so, I do very well at school and I always tell myself that I'm just like any other kid in my school.  The truth is that my parents raised me to be proud of my disability. There are plenty of things I wish I could do differently. I wanted to be a doctor. But that's not going to work out. So I'll be a lawyer instead. I also wanted to dance and play soccer. My parents taught me that I'm like this for a reason--to educate people and show them that this disease affects my bones--not my brain. My friends Erica once said to me, "Kennedy, you're not disabled. You just can't walk."