Hanna Nicole Hastings

My daughter, Hanna was born with cerebral palsy and has been mostly nonverbal her entire life. Although she needs help with almost everything , she was born with a gift for knowing when someone is having a hard day and needs a little kindness. Because she is physically limited in the way she can interact with others, she often shows kindness through a hug or a pat on someone’s shoulder. An example of this happened recently. Our family had gone to a Braums to get some ice cream. After we had sat down in a booth to enjoy our treat, Hanna stood back up and slowly made her way towards a man, we did not know, who was sitting by himself eating dinner. She leaned over and gave him a hug. At first, he was surprised and a bit apprehensive, but, almost immediately the tension in his face and body melted away as he realized Hanna‘s intentions. She has done this type of thing, her whole life, and as a young kid, it used to scare us. However, as she’s gotten older, we have come to recognize that this is an intrical part of who she is as a person. Although she needs help in almost every aspect of her life, this is one way that she can help others.

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