Severely Burned Girl Wants Wig So Kids Won't Make Fun of Her – Woman Adopts Her and Fulfills Her Wish

Life can change instantly, and it did for one woman after she read a newspaper article. Her plans to retire and relax were interrupted by her decision to help a little girl. Grab a box of tissues before you read their tear-jerking story!

Have you ever said or done something that changed the course of your life forever? Our choices shape us, and often they lead to unexpected journies full of surprises and difficulties.

When one woman locked eyes with someone through an image in a newspaper, she immediately felt a connection. However, she never imagined their lives would collide.

THE LIFE-CHANGING NEWSPAPER ARTICLE

Barbara A. Marlowe planned to spend her retirement playing golf and enjoying carefree days with her dog and husband, Tim. One day in 2016, Barbara was on her way out of her home when something caught her eye.

She lost track of time and didn't hear her husband telling her to hurry up—she couldn't look away from an article in their local newspaper. The images shocked her, but one photo held her gaze longer than the rest. Barbara shared:

"As I looked at this photo ... the room seemed to black out around me. I was [not] aware of anything in my surroundings. I only focused on those big, sad brown eyes with extra-long eyelashes looking at me."

SHE WANTED TO HELP

As Barbara read the article, she learned that the little girl in the photo had a unique desire. She immediately felt an urge to help, cutting the picture out of the newspaper and pasting it on her wall.

There were mountains of paperwork, special visas, and a list of admin required to bring Fadhil to the United States. It seemed like a hopeless undertaking.

Barbara did her research and reached out to the journalist who wrote the piece that would change her life forever. She inquired about the four-year-old girl named Teeba Furat Fadhil.

THE LITTLE GIRL'S DESIRE

Barbara took the mission step by step and day by day. She had no idea what she was getting herself into or how her decision to help would impact her own life. Firstly, Barbra wanted to assist with Fadhil's longing for a wig.

The little girl hoped a wig would stop kids from laughing at her bald head. When she was only nine months old, Fadhil experienced a devastating ordeal that left her with various injuries.

ANOTHER STEP FORWARD

Barbara was thrilled after she secured wigs for the precious girl. The next step included talks with University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital. She hoped they could provide Fadhil with the surgeries she required. Barbara said:

"Knowing this would require thousands of dollars, I pleaded with them to take on this case ... pro bono ... they were willing to meet with [Fadhil] to assess treatment."

The next mission was to get Fadhil to America from Iraq. Barbara didn't think there would be many obstacles, but she was sorely mistaken.

IT WASN'T AN EASY JOURNEY

There were mountains of paperwork, special visas, and a list of admin required to bring Fadhil to the United States. It seemed like a hopeless undertaking, but Barbara refused to give up on the little girl she was yet to meet.

Things started to look up after Barbara met with Monica Robins, a journalist at a local news station. Thankfully, Robins had a connection who could help with their mission. Fadhil arrived in America exactly one year after Barbara saw her face in a newspaper.

SHE MADE GREAT PROGRESS

Fadhil visited doctors and received a custom-made wig. She could also speak English fluently within three months! She was a bubbly little girl and didn't pay much attention to her scarred appearance.

Doctors eventually performed surgeries to assist her, and the long process gave her a new appearance. Barbara recalled:

"With each surgery, it was like a new piece of the puzzle was put into place."

Barbara encouraged Fadhil and told her that while her appearance would never be "perfect," nobody else's was either. As years went by, Fadhil grew into a happy teenager, excelling in school and navigating life with a sense of humor and self-confidence.

SHE WANTED TO SEE HER FAMILY

Fadhil's past made her resilient, but there was one thing that still pained her—like any youngster, she missed her birth family desperately. Fadhil hadn't seen them face-to-face in a decade and longed for them.

Thanks to a connection in Dubai, Barbara managed to arrange a reunion. It was an emotional moment for everyone, and Fadhil felt lucky to have two loving moms. When Barbara met Fadhil's mom, Dunia, for the first time, she was nervous.

However, it was a beautiful moment she would cherish forever. Barbara shared the encounter and recalled how everyone cried and hugged each other tightly, saying "I love you" in two different languages.

HER PLANS FOR THE FUTURE

Dunia and Barbara text regularly and hope to meet again. Fadhil was also thankful for the opportunity to see her family again. She continued living in America, where she remained grateful for the love and support from both of her families.

Thanks to Barbara, Fadhil gained a new chance at a bright future. However, according to Barbara, Fadhil wasn't the one who gained the most—she was.

Barbara expressed that she and her husband were emotional whenever they spoke about the journey they had shared with Fadhil. They feel blessed and know that Fadhil "changed [their lives] more than [they] have changed hers."

By the time Teeba turned 17, she had plans to go to college and hoped to become a pediatric anesthesiologist. She believed her experiences could help other kids who had fears and struggles.

Click here for another beautiful story about a family who fell in love with a little girl in need. She was abandoned because of her appearance, but they took her in as their own and loved her unconditionally—now, she shares her inspiring story with the world.