INDEPENDENCE, Mo. — A special young girl has a new set of wheels that keep her busy and keep her smiling.
At just five weeks old, little Jessica and her mom were headed home from a doctor’s check-up appointment when they were involved in a car crash. It left Jessica critically injured.
But 8 years later, she isn’t letting it stop her.
“She has proven a lot of doctors wrong,” her mother, Jena Elise said. “They said that she would never walk and talk, and she does all that.”
But there are still a few things Jessica needs a little help with, like riding a bike.
“Having her out and about and being able to play with her sisters and having that social life is very important for her,” Jena said.
That’s why the FOX4 Love Fund for Children stepped in to buy her an adaptive tricycle.
“It feels awesome,” Jessica said.
The nonprofit works to support metro children and provide them with basic needs, but also things not covered by other charities or things a little harder to find.
Jena said Jessica was “over the moon” when the Love Fund brought her new tricycle to their home.
“We walked outside when Allison came out with the trike, and Jessica just lit up,” the Independence mom said. “She’s like — you could just tell she’s happy, and we haven’t seen that for awhile.”
That’s what it’s all about for the team behind the Love Fund.
“We do a lot of great things at the Love Fund, but it’s really nice to actually come see a family and actually see Jessica’s excitement riding this bike around,” board member David Lauck said.
Jessica has already been putting the trike to good use with her sisters.
“Well, we made a game, when we’re in the sun, we go fast, and in the shade, we go slow,” she explained Monday.
“She wakes up every morning asking to ride it,” her mom said. “Rain or shine she wants to be out here.”
