A Young Girl's Resilience: "Everyone Has the Right to Dream"

We all face challenges in life, but when you hear the story of a seven-year-old girl named Sophie, who was born without arms yet courageously tackles life every day and refuses to give up on her dream of being 'just like everyone else,' it makes you view your own struggles differently.

At seven years old, Sophie's inner strength has helped her overcome numerous obstacles. She's learned to draw, ride a bike, eat, dance, and even attend classes with other children. Her adoptive parents, Jeremy and Christiana, have adopted children with various disabilities who were not wanted by their biological parents due to their conditions. "When we first saw Sophie, she had big beautiful eyes that spoke to us," Christiana recalls. "Her eyes captivated us so much that we hardly noticed she didn't have arms."

Sophie today

That was when Sophie was two. "We decided to adopt Sophie and her older sister, Lexi, who was born blind. Today, they're an unstoppable team who do nearly everything together, complementing each other perfectly. Sophie and Lexi aren't biological sisters, but 'because we were adopted on the same day, we're best friends,' Sophie explains sweetly. 'And sometimes we feel like sisters.'

Despite attending a regular school, Sophie deals with the curious stares of other kids daily. "Children are naturally curious, so we've taught Sophie not to be 'upset' by the reactions she gets. 'Yes,' Sophie laughs, 'when they ask me why I don't have arms, I tell them I buried them, and they laugh.'

"This is just the beginning of what awaits her in adulthood, and we want to give her the tools to accept and love herself as she is," her parents say. "We believe Sophie will face these challenges with courage."

And courage is arguably this young girl's second name, with her big eyes and optimistic smile. "I know I'll keep doing what I love and keep dreaming. No one should stop dreaming because of a limitation. Everyone has the right to dream and to achieve their dreams."