Parents have this natural tendency to document every milestone that their children achieve. As much as possible, the first crawl, the first steps taken, and the first words uttered must be captured through a picture or a video, so that the whole family would have these precious memories to look back on when the years have gone by.
The “first times” of a child typically happen from infancy up to when they become toddlers. However, that was not the case for Love Johnson, a girl with cerebral palsy. That’s because her first steps happened six years after she was born. But it was no setback; in fact, it was one of her proudest moments. And for her mother, seeing her daughter walk on her own made her a “hero.”
Lovely Johnson’s 6-year-old daughter has cerebral palsy, a condition that affected her ability to move and maintain her posture and balance. But just last week, the girl was able to walk unassisted!
In a video taken by Lovely, it can be seen that Love herself was shocked when she was able to take a few steps without her walker and braces.
“This moment felt like a dream come true,” Lovely told CNN. “I looked at her the way I looked at her when I gave birth to her. My heart was racing. I saw how excited my daughter was, and I knew a new chapter was about to begin.”
Lovely felt so proud of her princess and wanted the world to know, so she decided to share the video of Love walking on her own on her Facebook.
“Most of you know my daughter has cerebral palsy and needs her Walker to get around. She decided to get up and try walking without her walker and braces. My hero is not someone older than me it’s my 6-year-old princess,” she wrote.
During the first three years of Love’s life, doctors thought that she was just developing slower than expected. But when she turned 4 years old, they discovered that it was not just a developmental delay, but cerebral palsy. Then last year, she was given a wheelchair and a walker to assist in her movement. Before she had the wheelchair, Lovely had to hold her or wheel her in a stroller.
In the footage, Love can be seen holding onto furniture first before taking steps on her own. The girl smiled and laughed, knowing perfectly well that it was a milestone worth celebrating. She even surprised herself by what she had done, gasping in disbelief as she was able to reach the other side of the room on her own.
“Mom, I can now walk like the other kids,” the girl said after Lovely stopped filming.
Love only wanted to show everyone she knew that she could walk, but after Lovely shared the inspiring moment, thousands of people are now cheering her on for her achievement.
“She asked me to record her. Because she felt and knew she could do it,” Lovely said. “She’s a very independent and intelligent girl and worked so hard for this moment.”
That right there is determination coupled with faith. We all could learn from this brave girl and her spirit. Congratulations, Love!
Watch the video below to see the beautiful moment Love took her first steps.
Share this story with your friends and family!