MJ

If you ever find yourself in my shoes (and I hope you never do), one of the first people you'll meet is MJ. MJ has been living with SMA for over twenty years now and she is one of the most amazing people I know. I hope I get to meet her in person some day so I can give her a HUGE hug. She is so supportive to both moms of angels and moms of fighters. She loves the kids. I probably don't even know half of the things she does to give back to the community. She makes websites for the kids; if you see Eli's Our SMA Angels page, she did that one. She and her caregiver Brenda have sent out over 700 blankets to SMA kids around the world. She's always offering hugs and words of comfort to those of us who are having really bad days missing our little ones.

MJ has not had an easy life, but she never focuses on that part. I had no idea how much loss she herself had lived though until I read more here. You will never hear her mention the negative things though. She makes me want to be a better, stronger person. If any of my fellow SMA moms stop by here, I bet they will also have a story or two about MJ. She touches all of us.

I was very sad when I read her Facebook status today. She is currently on vacation, taking some needed time off from college and all the countless other things she is involved in. Yesterday she heard a little girl ask her mom what happened to her, referring to MJ. The mom replied "She was a very bad girl". How sad is that? Rather than take the opportunity to teach her daughter acceptance, that some people are not as physically blessed as they are, she said something hurtful that her daughter will always remember and associate with anyone facing a physical challenge. We wonder how discrimination against people can continue to go on and and I think that's a good of example of passing it down to the next generation. I have tears in my eyes from even having to write this. I love MJ and I hate to know people are so insensitive.

Please remember to light a candle for all of the SMA angels tomorrow night at 8pm. Pass on the petition address. Help us stop SMA once and for all.