In a world of cynicism, cruelty, and awfulness, it can be difficult to suss out what we’re all still living for. Here’s something: Thanks to today’s 21st century technology and the kind-hearted people at A Step Ahead Prosthetics, a prosthetics company that also makes prosthetic legs for American Girl dolls — at no extra cost.
Such was the case with a now-viral post from Courtney Bennett, who presented her 10-year-old daughter, Emma, with an American Girl doll that looked exactly like her: right down to the prosthetic leg. And Emma’s reaction? Totally inspiring. It’s enough to make you forget all the sad, depressing things that are happening in the world.
Emma’s face totally changes upon receiving the dolls and she exclaims, “You gotta be kidding me!” before clutching the doll and crying. “It’s got a leg like me!” she says tearfully, and begins thanking her parents and telling them how much she loves them. “Thank you for making a doll like me,” she says into the camera.
In a statement posted on their website, the New-York based prosthetics company gave a statement describing how they will customize a doll with a prosthetics leg, for free, to anyone who wants to send them one.
Spokesperson Daniel Klepner wrote, “We fabricate each doll prosthesis here in our shop alongside the ‘real’ prosthetics that we make for our patients, and we paint each one by hand.” They also added, “[A Step Ahead] is NOT charging for the customization; we feel that it is absolutely crucial to boost the self-confidence, self-esteem, and feelings of inclusion for little girls with limb loss, and that something as small as a doll that resembles them can have a profound effect on their mental and physical well-being.”
As you can see, there’s definitely still some good left in the world. And if seeing a little girl’s dreams come true after getting a doll that really IS just like her doesn’t do it for you, then nothing will.
(via BuzzFeed)
