SARAH TODD HAMMER: I think that you can make dancing anything you want it to be. I still continue to dance just like I would if I didn’t have a disability. SARAH TODD HAMMER: This is my bathroom that we’ve had adapted so I can get ready and shower on my own. We put in this touchpad. SARAH TODD HAMMER: When I was eight years old, I was diagnosed with Transverse Myelitis but now I’m 17 and my diagnosis is Acute Flaccid Myelitis. It’s caused by a virus attacking the spinal cord rather than my own body attacking the spinal cord. Since I can’t reach my hair or my face, I just put my elbow up here and then I can do my makeup. I can’t lift my arms up higher than this and my right hand is weak. Until I was 15, I never really actually got to take a shower by myself. It was really like, emotional for me the first time I took a shower in my bathroom and I was really excited because I was being independent. LISA HAMMER: April 19th, 2010, it’s a really hard day to talk about. LISA HAMMER: We went to her dance class. LISA HAMMER: She said that she had, what she called, a headache, really bad headache. SARAH TODD HAMMER: It got so bad to the point that I was crying so my mom was just going to take me home to rest. LISA HAMMER: She’s like, “Mom my hands don’t work”. LISA HAMMER: And it kind of, just goes through you when your child says something like that. LISA HAMMER: She couldn’t stand, she was just a dead weight. So, I carried her into the urgent care. LISA HAMMER: A million things go through your head, “This is, this is my baby girl”. LISA HAMMER: There’s you and me, looking younger and pretty. SARAH TODD HAMMER: I remained in the hospital for two months where I was in the ICU for 12 days. SARAH TODD HAMMER: I’m unable to do buttons and zippers on clothes so getting dressed is almost impossible for me. It actually damaged my mood when I had to have my mom help me get dressed for school in the morning. SARAH TODD HAMMER: It just felt like, really unnatural to have someone getting me dressed, since that was something I should be doing on my own. SARAH TODD HAMMER: Since I’ve had AFM for nine years, I most likely won’t get any more recovery back but I’ve clearly recovered a lot since I was paralysed from the neck down. SARAH TODD HAMMER: Here’s another Tommy Hilfiger dress that’s really cute, I love this dress. It has magnets in the back instead of a button or zipper so it makes it really easy for me to put on. Now I’m able to walk and my legs are basically normal. SARAH TODD HAMMER: I feel like, I still have a really good life. I always tell people that I’m still a normal teenager just with a few other challenges. SARAH TODD HAMMER: This is me and One Direction on my Make a Wish trip and Harry is holding my book in the picture. One of my biggest accomplishments I think is publishing three books. I wrote and published my first book when I was 11 in 2013. I share my story of how I got AFM. SARAH TODD HAMMER: Typing is hard for me because I only have the use of one hand so, I type just with one finger but it’s still much easier than writing. SARAH TODD HAMMER: So, I typed out my whole book on a Google doc. SARAH TODD HAMMER: A lot of people think that people with disabilities aren’t capable of doing what abled bodied people can do. SARAH TODD HAMMER: I still have a disability, but I still continue to dance just like I would if I didn’t have a disability, I just do it in my own way. LISA HAMMER: I love her determination to continue dancing because it really was her first love. SARAH TODD HAMMER: I honestly don’t know what I’d do without my mom because I love her just like, my best friend. LISA HAMMER: From an outsider looking in, it would be easy to say that every day is a struggle, but she just doesn’t let it be that. SARAH TODD HAMMER: I always look forward to my ballet classes after school and now choreographing dances is one of my favourite hobbies. LISA HAMMER: She is so brave, she has just forged ahead. SARAH TODD HAMMER: Stay positive and still love life and realize that it can be difficult having a disability but it’s not like a game changer for enjoying your life.
Go girl!
AHHHH ONE DIRECTIONNNB
I would have never new you had something like that intill you told me your beautiful and will always be stay you ❤️ your so sweet 😘
I am a dancer too so this just goes to show how lucky I am as I have the ability to use my arms. I am so happy she's standing tall and still dancing like a pro!
April 19th is my birthday 😶
I wish I could dance like her
such a beautiful young lady wit a beautiful soul. God bless u and your family. o yea and u can really dance good. U r such an inspiration to me personally(wit my learning disability) in more ways than one and I thank u for that cuz watching u makes me realize that nothing is impossible
YEAH, SOMETHING LIKE THIS.. MILEY'S TWEAKER PHYSIQUE IS SOMEWHAT SIMILAR WHICH IS WHY BABY WAS ATTRACTED TO HER
You can do it never give up Sarah
90 dislikes!!! I wonder . why !!! This girl is an inspiration to others!!!
2:24
John Cena : no u dont
Very beautiful girl!!! Congratulations for your book❤️
They barely mentioned it, but she had more than just paralyzed arms and hands. She was paralyzed from the neck down for a while and has slowly regained use of her body except for parts of her arms and hands.
You can also lose the feeling in various parts of your body and still be able to move them. When dealing with nerves and spinal cord injuries there are many different kinds of injuries and damage that affect your whole body or just some areas. The longer the damage goes untreated it can get progressively worse and there is no guarantee that the affects will be reversed. Sometimes surgeries or treatments can only stop more damage from happening. No talks about the fact that even if you are numb in various areas of your body you can still have pain. There are so many different kinds and levels of nerve pain and unless you experience it you really can’t understand how it affects the person dealing with it daily. I am glad that they are making more videos about the different things people face daily. It can be extremely difficult when you have what is known as an invisible illness or condition because a stranger and even people you see daily has no clue what you are going through and dealing with. I worked with people who made their assumptions and past judgment on me and others without asking or talking to me. I was constantly shocked when they would say something either under their breath or to whoever they were with not realizing that I could hear them. When I received the phone call telling me that I had an appointment with a Neuro surgeon because my spinal cord was impinged in 4 places one person tried to compare it to her diverticulitis. After the first surgery my teacher ‘s assistant couldn’t understand why I couldn’t come back to work because her brother in law and one of our students parent went back to work 3 days after their surgery. Uuhhmm well their injury was minor. My situation was life threatening literally on wrong move and I would have either died or become a quadriplegic on a respirator for the rest of my life. After reading the MRI results before actually meeting me my Neurosurgeon was shocked to learn that I was able to stand up and walk or function at the level I was with the amount of damage and the location of the damage. His assistant did the preliminary evaluation and left to consult him. He came in the room barely a minute later to do the evaluation for himself because he didn’t believe it. Every day is an adventure when dealing with spinal cord injuries and the pain and numbness and what you can and cannot do because it is constantly changing.
Girl, you got AFM from a vaccine.
she's so beautiful 💕
I how the same shower touchpad
She’s awesome
You are beautiful. Both kinds.
WOW! You are an INSPIRATION! AND you dance BEAUTIFULLY !
Meeting one direction and Harry Styles holding her book she wrote is a life goal! I have a disability but a bit different than hers but I’m still amazed by her!
beautiful inspiring story – beautiful inspiring young girl
You go girl. Dream big and reach fir the stars
and that virus is Epstein Barr Virus. Same cause for so many autoimmune disorders also. Yet it is only detectable in stage 2, one it has caused these neurological conditions fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue and so on is when it becomes undetectable. EBV feeds off heavy metals in the body and the only way to get rid of it is Advanced TRS bought from coseva
No one cares we look at you and feel better for not being like that and feel better about our self fact
ONE DIRECTION💪🏼🎉😂😂
god bless you all.
The 97 people who disliked this should just GO AWAY!
Omg I was born that day that the mom said and the year and it was the time Wise 1:25
Meanwhile I’m here struggling to get out of bed
This is so inspirational!💜💜💜
She's a directioner aw
So proud of her ❤
Amazing girl! A true inspiration! Let many miracles happen in your life. Many blessings to you! Lobe your mom's positivity. Long live! Live happy!
"The paralysis ballet princess"
I love the fact, that she has One Direction pillows 😀
April 19th 2010 was my sisters birthdate
She is so graceful. I admire her gumption…
Do you do physical therapy??
God bless very inspiring 🙏 keep it up girly
aww God Bless
I feel terrible watching this heartbroken i hope she can get better in the future right now hope she keeps fighting and has her head high why do good people have to go through such terrible events and diseases
how do people hit unlike on this?
you look like a young version of claudia jean hahaha
Why did I think she was normal and didn’t have any condition
A beautiful personality, soul, and girl
She is so pretty!
I AM SO PROUD OF YOU!
Such a bright awesome young lady!
Also: what wast the intro song ?
So so so so inspiring
And might I say a good dancer call on JESUS HE CAN HEAL YOU HALLELUJAH AMEN AND SHE IS BEATIFUL AND LOOKS VERY NATURAL DANCING DONT GIVE UP HONEY
I watch dance moms and you are very GRACEFUL GOD BLESS YOU
so beautiful ❤
She makes me realize that we can do anything whatever we want really proud of her 😊😊😊
i don't have a disability but she dances better than me
Good for you, you are a amazing person! And you have come a long way. Don't let asking for help to get you down, we all need some kinda help in some way. Keep up the great work, loved your dancing.
Soooooo inspirational keep up the good work 😉
Tommy Hilfiger is my fave brand and I’m glad they cater to everyone. His clothing may be expensive for some but the quality is perfection and it’s great to know I support a brand for doing this. if you can afford it I encourage you!!!
Such a beautiful person, full of life with a fiery soul.. a heart of pure light.
alhamdulallah
seeing other people's life makes you realise how blessed you are and that nothing is impossible ❤
I’m typing a book on google docs too
I HAD that 1D bear😂
absolutely beautiful smile. makes even gloomy me look at the bright side…. truly inspiring… your story has moved me to tears miss.
Your beautiful inside and out ! ❤️
She's awesome!
How do you contract a virus like that? How does it get in your body?
As a mother, I cannot imagine. I would have been absolutely terrified. I’m so pleased to see that you’ve been able to adapt to things. You’re very resilient.
Keep living up to your full potential!
Inspiring story!
She is a cutie
Beautiful girl….
You are so inspiring ❤️❤️
Very talented and beautiful! You have accomplished great things. One thing I worry about watching you do ballet is when your arms flail back it looks super painful.
Wow she's so beautiful!! I live pretty close to Atlanta!! What I would give to see her dancing with the great posture she has!! You can totally tell even though she is paralyzed she dances BETTER than women who AREN'T paralyzed!!
She is very beautiful ☺☺O Good God bless her please O God good people are your favourite 🙁🙁please bless her 🙏🏻🙏🏻
i’m still jealous she got to meet One Direction… still love her tho
Awesome young lady, God bless you. 💜
👋👍🌟🙏❤
Someone:you can't do this ..
Sarah:watch me 🤘
True inspiration girl.♥️
God bless you if I went through that u would just be so depressed you are amazing
I'm on pont
Who ever said no y’all are wrong she amazing she fights
You be you girl!
Thank you for sharing you are a wonderful person u are beautiful keep up the good work don't let it stop u love ur video. God Bless
Loving the one direction stuff! I'm a fan too❤️❤️
I pray she gets all her strength back in the name of God Amen.💯
I love one direction so much when they came to Northern Ireland and Zayn wants there i was sad but I loved the concert
She so pretty bless your soul her hands cant work but her soul active and her ❤ i feel so blessed to have arms legs no disabilities thank u god
girl your makeup looks better than mine
so she’s not paralysed then?
My girl is killing it! Do it sis 💜
I can hardly type this comment with one finger wow. Inspirational!
She’s the definition of inspiration
I LOVE Dance I do it and it’s fun
What a wonderful girl and mother.
What’s paralise
Such an amazing person and loved hearing her journey
I was in a bad accident and could not do yoga anymore but my friend said yes you can! Just do YOUR version of yoga! I love that:)))
Watching you dance made me well up
Too bad Sarah doesn't live in Florida. She would have been able to go to one of the two most cutting edge programs for those with disabilities in the United States!
her mother is amazing
If she was poor, being in the US, this would be a much different story.