Chances are, if you first meet my daughter face to face, you'll soon forget that she is physically disabled because she has such a positive way about her. Nobody can be sad for long once Tylee Hope McCracken appears on the scene!
Tylee is six years old, with a head ful of curly, black hair, big, dark-brown/nearly black eyes fringed with long lashes, a dimpled smile, a heart shaped face, and an attitude that does not know the meaning of the words "I can't". Even though she may use a walker and wear braces when she walks, nothing (and I DO mean nothing!) will slow this young lady down!
Tylee was born premature, weighing less than a pound and five ounces at birth. Doctors didn't think she would survive, especially when they discovered that she had suffered irreversable damage to her brain, but she proved them wrong from the get-go. Tylee was a lot tougher than what appeared on the surface; that she survived was nothing short of a miracle.
She spent four months in the hospital; once out of danger, we were then told to love her and try to help her reach her potential. We haven't looked back. We enrolled our daughter into Early Intervention classes and therapy. She still continues to go to therapy twice a week (physical and occupational) and is steadily improving day by day. She took her first steps two years ago; not even falls slow her down any.
Tylee is a lot smarter than people realize: she reads at the level of a third grader, even though she is only in kindergarten, and there is nothing disabled about her ability to learn. She is absolutely amazing! We couldn't be more proud of her!
Tylee is a very busy little girl: she loves to play dress up, play princess, color or draw, watch Dora The Explorer and Caillou on tv, go to dance classes geared for children with special needs, sing, play with her little brother Earic Michael (he's two), and go to children's church every week. When she grows up, Tylee wants to be either a singer, a princess, a ballerina, or a mommy.
We don't know what the future holds in store for Tylee, but one thing is for certain: nothing will stop her if she sees to it. She is one very determined, happy little girl!
