While many kids don’t consider the idea of going back to school such a great thing, there’s one little 6-year-old girl in Brunswick, Georgia, who could not be happier.
Her name is Arianna Hopper and she has cerebral palsy. Last year, she was in first grade at Altama Elementary School. And this year, on her first day of second grade, she just couldn’t hold back her excitement. And photos of her being put on her school bus show it. And those pictures have melted hearts across the word.
Arianna is the youngest of seven children of parents Mark and Rebecca. They initially fostered Arianna before adopting her into the family. But there was some concern. They weren’t quite sure they could adequately take care of the little girl because of her condition. Well, now they know that was a silly thought. Of course they could take care of her, and they just love her to pieces and cannot imagine their lives without her. She is such a delight for anyone around her.
Says Mark: “No matter what, even in her situation, she’s just joyful and loves life in spite of her disability.”
Mark was the one who snapped those shots of his daughter getting on the school bus and waving in all of her excitement. Arianna is completely non-verbal. But her reactions speak volumes. And Mark and Rebecca couldn’t be any prouder of their special little girl. Right now, she is taking sign language in school and will soon be able to communicate much better for her parents. She also has gained a lot of “Arianna fans” on Facebook.
Says Mark: “Honestly everybody that comes in contact with her at church, at work, they always tell me they love her and how much her smile brings joy to them. I’m glad that everybody gets to see this joy that she has that she brings to us every day and that everyone else can see and experience it.”
