Eleven-year-oldAngelawasstrickenwithadebilitatingdiseaseinvolvinghernervoussystem.Shewasunabletowalkandhermovementwasrestrictedinotherwaysaswell.Thedoctorsdidnotholdoutmuchhopeofhereverrecoveringfromthisillness.Theypredictedshe’dspendtherestofherlifeinawheelchair.Theysaidthatfew,ifany,wereabletocomebacktonormalaftercontractingthisdisease.Thelittlegirlwasundaunted.There,lyinginherhospitalbed,shewouldvowtoanyonewho’dlistenthatshewasdefinitelygoingtobewalkingagainsomeday.
ShewastransferredtoaspecializedrehabilitationhospitalintheSanFranciscoBayarea.Whatevertherapiescouldbeappliedtohercasewereused.Thedoctorswerecharmedbyherundefeatablespirit.Theytaughtheraboutimaging—aboutseeingherselfwalking.Ifitwoulddonothingelse,itwouldatleastgiveherhopeandsomethingpositivetodointhelongwakinghoursinherbed.Angelawouldworkashardaspossibleinphysicaltherapyandinexercisesessions.
Butsheworkedjustashardlyingtherefaithfullydoingherimaging,visualizingherselfmoving,moving,moving!Oneday,asshewasstrainingwithallhermighttoimagineherlegsmovingagain,itseemedasthoughamiraclehappened:Thebedmoved!Itbegantomovearoundtheroom!Shescreamedout,“LookwhatI’mdoing!Look!Look!Icandoit!Imoved,Imoved!”
Ofcourse,atthisverymomenteveryoneelseinthehospitalwasscreaming,too,andrunningforcover.Peoplewerescreaming,equipmentwasfallingandglasswasbreaking.Yousee,itwastherecentSanFranciscoearthquake.Butdon’ttellthattoAngela.She’sconvincedthatshedidit.Andnowonlyafewyearslater,she’sbackinschool.Yousee,anyonewhocanshaketheearthbetweenSanFranciscoandOaklandcanconqueralittledisease,can’tthey?
