Natalie Cook's Story

Natalie Cook was at a park with her two-year-old foster daughter, who was born prematurely and uses a walker. A little boy ran up and asked, "What's wrong with her?" Cook froze. She had no idea how to explain her daughter's disability to an adult, let alone a child. She managed to say the girl was born tiny and just taking a while to catch up. The boy said "okay" and ran off to play with his friends.

A child who saw another child

A few minutes later, the boy came back. He started playing with Cook's daughter — pushing her on the swing, bringing her walker to her. He even began picking up on the sign language Cook was using to ask her daughter if she wanted to keep swinging or stop. Then he got his friends involved. He told them about her disability, but focused on what she could do, not what she couldn't. "He was like a proud little mom," Cook said. "He said, 'Look.'"

Before Cook knew it, the whole playground was cheering her daughter along. The children learned the sign language to go with her, asked questions, and helped her up the slides. Cook had never seen anything like it at the park. Her friend looked over and said, "I have goosebumps."

The moment that changed the story