The start of a new school year can be a difficult proposition for any student. However, a mother from Gilbert, Arizona is using it as an opportunity to teach other people about kindness.
According to mom Stephanie Cook, her daughter Lucy Cook has a heart of gold and nobody in this entire world loves harder and better than her child. The 15-year-old has always faced challenges in her life as she was born at 23 weeks.
Stephanie said in an interview that Lucy was a teeny tiny preemie. She was one pound, six ounces, and was so really little. She also had a pretty severe brain hemorrhage when she was born. The proud mom added that Lucy has done amazingly well, but she has Epilepsy, Cerebral Palsy, and some other vision things.
Lucy really stressed about high school
Her daughter's biggest obstacle, though, has been getting people to see past all that. This is the reason why Lucy was dreading her first day of high school last week. Stephanie asked Lucy if she wanted her classmates to know that she is like everyone else. Her teen girl replied that she is like everyone else and that she is nice and kind.
Stephanie said her daughter was really stressed about it and that she was expressing deep concern. Among the questions that she regularly asked were what if the kids don't like her and what if the kids make fun of her?
So her mother took to social media platforms Facebook and Instagram and began writing some thoughts, where she could share a message of kindness. She opened her post by introducing Lucy. Stephanie said that she just started her first day of high school and it was also her first day back at a district school after spending six years at a school for children with special needs.
Support for daughter reaffirms goodness is still out there
Stephanie said her daughter has plenty of worries, including students making fun of her smaller right hand and that she won't make any friends in school. Stephanie hopes people will take the time to think about it and educate people around them that they are all in this together and they all do better if they teach our kids these things. The mom's heartwarming post, gained a lot of attention, mostly from supportive strangers.
When Stephanie read some of the comments to her daughter, Lucy cried because she was touched by all the warm messages and words. The support also turned her stress into excitement and gave Lucy some confidence that this school year will be one of the best.
Stephanie told 12 News it reaffirmed that all this goodness is still out there. Lucy said her first day was great, amazing, and awesome. She added that those who took the time to send positivity her way meant the world to her.
