‘She’s Pretty, Not like Me,’ Disabled Girl Cries Looking at Doll, Her Idol Convinces Her Otherwise — Story of the Day

A disabled girl received a doll from her little sister, but it only made her sad because she looked nothing like it. However, her little sister prepared another surprise for her, and someone unexpected showed up at their home.

"Ellie! Ellie! I can't wait 'til your birthday, so here! Open it!" 11-year-old Alana exclaimed one afternoon. She had brought her younger sister Ellie a gift-wrapped box a week before her birthday.

"Oh, you should wait, Alana," Ellie said, but she accepted the box with a smile. However, she asked her sister for help because her arms were too weak that day.

Ellie had cerebral palsy, and she was in a wheelchair. Sometimes, her extremities were too weak, although her arms and hands were usually fine.

Alana couldn't wait for Ellie's birthday so she helped her sister with the wrapping, revealing a beautiful new Barbie that 12-year-old Ellie looked at closely. Suddenly, her eyes watered, and Alana hugged her tightly, thinking she was happy to receive the gift.

"Hello everyone! I have a surprise for my big sister, the best big sister ever!" Alana said intriguingly.

"Isn't it cool? I saved all my allowance for it," Alana proudly said, holding her sister close.

"Oh, Allie. I…," Ellie began, but the tears spilled out, and her sad face gave away her real emotions.

"What? You don't like it?"

"I do… it's just… she's pretty, not like me! I'll never look like that!" Ellie wailed and cried some more.

This was not uncommon. Ellie often wept about not looking like the other girls, including her little sister, who was tall and getting more beautiful each day. Her family tried their best to reassure her, but sometimes, her feelings spilled out as she lamented her situation.

"Ellie, think about Natalie. She's the most beautiful girl ever, and she's in a wheelchair, just like you!" Alana reminded her.

Natalie was an older girl in their local high school who worked as a model. She had been paralyzed at a young age but was now an inspiration to their town. Everyone loved her, and she was insanely pretty.

Ellie and Alana loved Natalie to pieces. She was their idol, and their parents had even printed a few pictures off her Instagram so the girls could stick them on their walls.

"You're right. I must think of Natalie and what she would say in this situation. What do you think she would say?" Ellie asked her little sister.

"I think Natalie would encourage us to play with whatever dolls we wanted and let our creativity shine!" Alana chirped, making Ellie laugh. The tears stopped, and they went to Ellie's room to play with their Barbies.

***

A week later…

It was finally Ellie's birthday, and she had received many amazing gifts. Many remarkable people and friends had shown up, and she felt blessed.

Suddenly, the music in the backyard stopped. Everyone looked toward the stereo, and Alana was there.

"Hello, everyone! I have a surprise for my big sister, the best big sister ever!" Alana said intriguingly and used her hands to point toward the back door, where Ellie and Alana's mother was escorting someone.

Ellie rolled her wheelchair closer and saw that it was… Natalie!

"Natalie!!" Ellie shouted, excited. She started clapping her hands as best she could, and everyone was abuzz at the presence of the local Instagram inspiration.

Natalie rolled her wheelchair towards Ellie, who noticed a big box sitting on her lap. "Happy birthday, Ellie! Alana and your mom told me all about you and that you liked me. But they also told me something else. Something that made me think, and I believe what I brought you is going to change your perspective on many things," Natalie said with a broad, knowing grin.

She grabbed the gift box from her lap and gave it to Ellie, whose arms were feeling better that day, so she got to unwrap the gift alone. But she felt her sister's presence close by and the eyes of everyone at the party.

Ellie couldn't wait to see what present her idol had brought, mainly because it was a big box. Finally, the wrapping gave way, and as she turned the pink packaging around, her eyes widened in complete shock.

It was another Barbie, but this one came in a wheelchair like hers! Ellie's happiness and gratitude bubbled to the surface, and that's when she felt Natalie's hand on her shoulder.

"What makes us unique, makes us beautiful, Ellie," her idol said, smiling brightly.

Ellie could hear her mother crying next to them, and Alana moved closer to see the new doll.

"And I hope this Barbie reminds you of that every day," Natalie added.

Ellie thanked Natalie as well as her family for inviting Natalie to her party. They took pictures, they had fun, and they enjoyed every moment. It was Ellie's favorite birthday because she felt beautiful for the first time ever, and she realized how loved she was.

What can we learn from this story?

• Your uniqueness makes you beautiful. Many girls think they are not attractive enough, not realizing each one's uniqueness is a gift that makes one beautiful.
• One of the best feelings in the world is having family and friends that support you. Ellie was surrounded by love at all times, which is what matters in the end.

Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.

If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a woman who sent her disabled daughter to an orphanage due to her new husband.

This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone's life. If you would like to share your story, please send it to info@amomama.com.