Before I tell you who I am or what happened to me, I want to say that I am not a hero of any sort., I am an ordinary girl who had a dream. My name is Mia Walters.

I live with my mother and my older brother Mark in Devon, the outer suburbs of Pennsylvania, in other words, the ‘place of no opportunity.’ Change does not come naturally here; people resist change. We live in a small apartment above “Chinatown Palace” a Chinese takeout restaurant. My mother works there, nine hours a day but we still barely have enough money to buy one Chinese family meal. My brother Mark is fifteen years old and he is my best friend, sometimes when my world crumbles around me he keeps me together. My father passed away eight years ago and even today now the fire that took him seems like yesterday. 

I am twelve years old and I am paralyzed. I’ve never been able to walk and that is one of the many things that I cannot do. I have also never felt the rays of the hot sun, or touched the soft grass Mark plays football on. That is because when I was younger I was fragile and even moving around in my wheelchair exhausted me. Now that I am older, I am stronger but my mother insists that I am in no condition to even be wheeled outside. I understand why she is so protective though, she cannot bear the pain of losing a loved one, not again.

Sometimes not being able to go outside and being content with staring out of the window at children my age smiling, laughing, and moving, is extremely difficult. Also apart from my thrice-a-week classes with my old uncle Jerry (because I cannot go to school and we could not pay the class fee), I spend most of my day watching the television. I mean, there is really nothing else I can do. We have about five books in the house (We used to have a whole library when we lived in our villa with Dad but we had to sell all our books when we moved.) So as an alternative to watching detective series reruns, I love to watch the old, recorded tapes of Dad and us, as a family, together…That rainy, cold evening I was missing Dad even more than usual so I dragged the plastic box of tapes out and pulled one up. It did not have a label like the others did so I opened the DVD player, inserted it in the slot, and pressed play. A video of Dad appeared on the screen – he held a basketball in his hands, he was standing on a court, and I could hear Mum in the background. I saw him shoot baskets, speed around the court, and do all sorts of tricks! Toward the end of the recording, he looked at the camera and said, “Mia, I used to be a basketball champ, and when you are old enough I’ll bring you here and we’ll play some basketball together, okay?” The urge to answer him and play with him someday was so strong, that is when it clicked – and I decided I wanted to play basketball.

That night, Dad’s voice was echoing in my mind and the wish I had to play basketball was still wavering. However, now there was a sense of fear. What if I failed? Maybe I shouldn’t try at all… But when I got into bed and looked out of the window, I saw a star, the star that when I was younger I used to think of as dad. It twinkled and shone brighter than any other star in the sky, for me that was enough. I was going to be a basketball player.

The next morning I woke up happier than I had been in a long time. During breakfast and when I said goodbye to Mum and Mark, I was thinking about how I could play basketball. I had the dream but I had not really figured out the movement part. So I wheeled myself over to our ancient computer and prayed that it would turn on. After about forty-five minutes, it flashed blue and flickered on. I clicked on Google and typed “wheelchair basketball.” For an hour I looked at images of people in wheelchairs playing and videos of them  shooting and then I typed “wheelchair basketball in Pennsylvania.” I saw that there was a wheelchair basketball course in the central city, in my central city! I was ecstatic until Mum came home from work and we sat down to dinner. She first told us about work and then Mark said he had to give his football coaching fee the next day., Mum nodded and looked down. I waited for a few minutes then said, “Mum, I want to be a basketball player.” She glanced at me and said, “Sorry?”

 I repeated, “I want to be a basketball player…” 

Mum dropped her spoon in the bowl, looked at me, and said “I don’t think that’s possible Mia.” She turned on Mark and demanded, “What ideas have you been filling her childish mind with?” Mark just looked shocked but I intervened, “It is not Mark and I do not have a childish mind. If I want to play basketball what is the big deal?” I realize now that it was probably not a good idea to have shouted. 

Mum was at her breaking point now. “Mia, you are in a wheelchair! How in the world am I expected to magically make you able to walk let alone play basketball? Not that I haven't tried all these years..…” her voice trailed off and her eyes filled with tears. “But Mum!” I tried again. “I don’t want to hear it Mia!” she said and stomped off into her little room and shut the door. I was left in the dark dining room with the overbearing smell of broccoli soup, the stare from Mark, the rain trickling down the window, and my own dreams and thoughts collapsing in my mind.

I was not hungry anymore but I knew how much effort Mum had put into working to afford the broccoli as a change to our regular cabbage or carrot, so I sipped the cold soup, occasionally glancing at Mark who just stared at his bowl. This is something I have noticed about Mark since Dad passed away. He hardly talks and mostly stays cooped up in his tiny loft room. Mum said that he was just being a teenager but I really don’t think so. I missed the old Mark. He used to lift me out of my wheelchair, take me to the balcony and show me the trees and plants. But he doesn’t  do anything like that anymore. The last smile I saw on Mark’s face was when we were playing ‘Monopoly’ with Dad and Dad got a call from the fire rescue department and left us forever…

It seemed strange to just leave Mark at the dinner table alone but I needed to go somewhere to clear my thoughts. So I wheeled myself away from the table, down the hallway, and into my room. It was difficult to get myself to believe that Mum had so bluntly just said “No”. After all my plans and my dreams to make my Dad proud… I don't know what triggered me but I just started sobbing. It was so difficult to stop and besides it felt good. I’m not sure how long I cried, but at a certain point, Mark entered and crouched beside my wheelchair. He put his arm around me and that helped. I started to calm down and then I said, “Mark?” He just looked at me and simply responded by saying “Sorry.” Somehow I understood why he was apologizing and honestly it felt good to get the uncomfortable air cleared. I smiled and then he told me something that would change my life forever. He looked straight at me and said, “Mia, I know exactly why you want to play basketball and I also know that no one can do it better than you can. Mum, in her heart of hearts, wants you to follow your dreams too but she is scared Mia, she doesn’t want anything to happen to you.” I felt better but I didn’t know what to say to Mark so I just smiled and said, “Thank you.” He got up and walked towards the door but just before he left, he turned and said, “I’m proud of you Mia, and Dad would be too.”

 Finally, I had someone to help me, be there for me. I got into bed and looked out of the window. My ‘dad’ star was twinkling and I whispered, “Thank you, Dad” before falling asleep. I don’t know how long I was asleep or what exactly woke me up but suddenly I heard sounds, really loud sounds. It was Mark yelling, “She isn’t someone who has been given a week or a month to live! Apart from the minor factor that she is in a wheelchair, she is fine!  Why can she not go into the world, and live her life? Then I heard Mum, “Why are you making this sound so easy? Believe me, someday I want that girl to rise higher than the stars but I just can’t let go of her now…, I can’t let anything happen to her…” Mark cut her off saying, “Nothing is going to happen to her. She is stronger than the little girl that she was. If you want her to become someone in life, she needs to begin now! Dad would have wanted her to.” Silence. Then Mum said, “Mark, she wants to play basketball, wheelchair basketball at that, how am I going to afford the classes? Who is going to take her? And how can I just leave her, trusting that my daughter is just going to enter a life of struggle and walk through it, and be fine…” I think Mum was crying again and this time I felt bad. All through my search and requests to her, I hadn’t thought about the fact that it would be impossible for Mum to afford basketball classes, Mark’s school, and his football classes. And just like that it became deathly quiet. And so I lay back down and slowly fell asleep.

The next morning at the table, both Mum and Mark looked completely drained and it was clear they had been up the whole night. For not the first time, I wished I wasn’t a burden and such a problem to people. I was silently eating my eggs when Mum said, “Mia, you can play basketball.” I was shocked. I sat there just staring at her when I realized the cost, then I said. “Mum, you don’t have to, it was just a wild thought of mine and…” 

“No Mia, it wasn’t,” she interrupted. “I want you to play basketball and I want you to pursue your dream.” She looked at Mark and later I understood why. “Mark will enquire at the court near his school and we’ll take it from there.,” she continued. I wheeled myself over to her chair and I hugged her tightly. She wrapped her arms around me and it felt good. When I pushed back, however, I asked her, “Mum, how are you going to afford this?” “

Oh, don’t worry about that Mia, we’ll manage.” she replied. Amidst my joy about being allowed to play, I had forgotten Mark. He was probably the reason I was being allowed so I hugged him as well and whispered in his ear, “Thank you, I really appreciate it.” He just smiled. Later in my room, I realized that I probably should have shown more gratitude but I honestly felt it and I hoped that Mum and Mark knew how grateful I really was.

I didn’t think fulfilling my dream was going to be as difficult as it was. The way we had decided, Mark ventured to Brookfield Basketball court after school and waited for an hour in the cold for the coach to finally come out. I don’t know what he said or what I had ever done to get the opportunity but Coach Fenner agreed to meet me! When Mark came home and gave me this news, I felt like if I could I would jump with joy but since I couldn’t I had to be content with screeching “Yippee!” until I realized that the customers in Chinatown Palace downstairs were not going to be immensely pleased with the noise so I had just thanked Mark.

The morning of the meeting, however, I was feeling decidedly less excited. I was scared! Many thoughts were running through my mind and my stomach felt queasy. What if he disagrees to teaching me? Or what if I couldn't do what he said and then I could never become a basketball player… My Mum walked in and then I knew the time had come. Mum and Mark carefully pushed me down the hallway in the wheelchair and out into the world for the first time. I breathed in the fresh air and felt the lush green leaves as I was rolled along the cobblestones and onto the main road. It’s strange but I’ve always had a fear of vehicles. I don’t know if it’s because I haven’t seen many but being around moving vehicles scares me. So on top of constantly thinking about the meeting, I also had to stay calm while fifty cars and trucks roared by me. 

All too soon, I saw the rusty metal sign that read “Brookfield Basketball Court” and then we entered. I saw a tall man with a haircut just like Dad’s start walking towards us. “That’s Coach J. Fenner,” whispered Mark. 

“Good morning!” said Mum as he came up to us and then she shook his hand. Mum introduced herself and then he looked down at me. 

“Good morning…sir,” I mumbled. 

“Hello, you must be Mia. I’m Coach James Fenner and I will be teaching you how to play basketball,” he replied with a smile. 

“What?” I couldn’t help myself say. “You will be teaching me?” I asked. ‘

“Of course, if your mother agrees,” he said. 

“Oh, I do! said Mum. 

“Well then, let us go into my office and we’ll discuss.” Mum and Coach Fenner entered a small little room while Mark and I waited near the court. She came out around fifteen minutes later and Coach said, “ I’ll see you next week Mia.”

On the way home, Mum told me that there wasn’t any wheelchair basketball course in our town but the Coach wanted to teach me one on one. I was so happy and I promised myself that I would make Mum and Coach proud. She didn’t say anything to me about the class fees but she didn’t seem worried so I didn’t mention it. As every day passed and my first class got closer, I got excited, and every night I dreamt the same dream –-being a basketball champion like my Dad.

At five o’clock on Monday evening, Mark came home from school and together we set off on the biggest adventure of my life. Slowly we approached Coach Fenner as he was finishing class with his students. As they were leaving, some girls gave me strange looks but it didn’t worry me, at least not then. After everyone left, Coach turned to me and said “Hey Mia, you ready to begin?” I nodded. Mark went to sit on the stands and I made my way to the center of the court. My first touch of the court filled me with joy and I was ready for whatever my life was about to throw at me. Coach began teaching me how to maneuver my wheelchair more easily. He taught me where to hold the wheels and gave me a muscle-strengthener tool to help build my grip. Trying to pull the tool together hurt my unused muscles so much that tears dropped from my eyes but Coach just said to continue. Then he made me push the wheelchair five times around the court and each time I slowed down, he came over to help me start again. One hour passed by so quickly and in the end, I didn't have that sense of emptiness in me, the sense that used to constantly linger when I used to be at home not doing anything. Coach told me I had done a good job and that he looked forward to seeing me again next week.

I came home and told Mum all about the class, she had tears in her eyes but then she said, “Mia, I promise you today, whatever needs to be done I’ll do but I’ll help you become a great basketball player someday.”

Every week I went to class and slowly Coach started increasing the intensity of the lessons. He made me move more and started making me do drills. One day he handed me a basketball, (a white basketball) and gave me a second to familiarize myself with it., That was my first ball, the one that I would never forget. I learned to dribble the ball and I lost grip on the ball multiple times causing it to roll under the chair. This scared me at first but I got over the fear and even learned how to dodge any rolling balls. Coach never told me the names of any of the skills that he taught me because he didn’t want me to worry about remembering names but eventually, slowly but steadily I learned to play basketball. Over time, I learned how to shoot and by far those were the most difficult classes I have been part of. I was naturally short and had no sense of aim but Coach taught me to persevere and helped me laugh it off every time the basketball bounced off my head. After months of practice, I started having matches with Coach. He would run and I would be in my wheelchair but it helped me immensely and soon all I could think about was basketball. New skills, matches, shooting, dribbling. I began to put on some weight and look healthier. My doctor was happy and Mum was overjoyed. 

Then one day Coach said that there was going to be a wheelchair basketball match in central Pennsylvania and I was going to be a part of it. I was shocked. Playing alone was one thing but playing with a team was going to be something else altogether. The coach said, “The girls from the team will come to this court next month and we’ll practice but after that, it’s the match.” Before I had time to process it, Mum had entered the court and Coach started talking to her about it. It turns out that Coach had been discussing the prospective match with Mum for weeks and she told me that she was proud of me for coming this far. 

The next month, eight girls in wheelchairs from all over Pennsylvania came to Brookfield court and Coach began our practice. I learned how to maneuver my wheelchair around other players in a match which I never had to do before and how to increase my speed to match my opponents. We practiced for weeks and finally, Coach told us that we were ready. Over the course of the month, I made some really good friends, even a best friend. Sharon and I were inseparable. It was the first time I ever had a friend and it felt really good to have someone by my side. She had decorated her wheelchair with basketball and ‘girl power’ stickers and she even said she would help me decorate mine. 

Then the day of the match came. Mum, Mark, and I drove to central Pennsylvania with Coach in his car and reached the basketball court there. It was a beautiful but intimidating indoor court with bright lights and a flashing scoreboard. How I wished that we could win and make my coach and family proud. 

A few hours later, before the match was due to begin, Mum ran over to me and knelt down beside me. “Mia, I love you,” she said. “Whatever happens in this match, will happen but I want you to know that I am so proud of you and Dad, watching you every day from above is too.” 

“Thanks, Mum” was all I could say because at that moment my heart felt like it would beat right out of my mouth.

A piercing whistle blew signaling that the match was going to begin so I quickly made my way to the center of the court. I glanced at Sharon and we did our ‘good luck’ finger clap. Then the referee tossed the ball into the air and the match began. I raced to the ball, dribbled, passed, assisted, and even shot a basket just before the first quarter came to an end. I was so happy and so was our team. We cheered and laughed with Coach; then the match began again. This time the other team was playing a lot more aggressively and although our team shot multiple baskets in the next two quarters, the Eagles weren’t far behind. The third quarter came to an end. It was a tied game and the entire court was silent. We all gathered around Coach and he told us, “You have nothing left to prove Falcons. I’m proud of every single one of you. Now listen, they are playing a very aggressive game and Mia, they seem to have taken a severe dislike to your skills especially. So I want you to play it safe and give it all that you got without giving them a reason to call a foul.”

We entered the court for the final quarter and it began. We tried so much to keep the ball away and truly gave it all that we had. The match was still in a tie and with 18 seconds left, everyone was desperate. I grabbed the ball and raced to the hoop but three Eagles tackled me and just as I was about to shoot, my opponent's wheelchair interlocked with mine and I came crashing to the ground. I felt as if someone was holding a burning flame to my shoulder when my eyes started blurring, my head started spinning, and I heard someone scream “Mia!” when my vision completely blacked out, and I fainted.

I don’t know for how long I was unconscious but the first thing I remember after opening my eyes was thinking, “Who won the match?” I felt a severe burning sensation in my shoulder and when I looked at it, my shoulder was bandaged in a plaster. My head was throbbing and I was having a problem focusing on things but I soon realized I was on a hospital bed in a dimly lit room. There was a woman standing with her back to me and she turned to me when I looked up at her. It was a nurse who quickly ran out of the room and brought back my mother who ran over to me and hugged me. But my shoulder hurt so I winced with pain causing her to stop. “Mia, are you okay? she asked. “Yes, I think so but what happened?” I asked. “You don’t need to worry about that sweetheart, just rest okay? I’ll call the doctor and be right back. Oh, Mark wanted to see you, can I send him in?” she asked. I nodded. A few minutes later Mark entered and he enveloped me in a bear hug then sat down beside me. 

“Please tell me what happened. Mum won’t tell me anything.” I said. 

Mark replied saying, “I’m not allowed to tell you anything Mia but if I do please don’t tell anyone.” 

I nodded again. 

“So after you blacked out, your head started bleeding and immediately an ambulance rushed you here where we found out that you dislocated your shoulder, ripped four ligaments and you have a head injury,” he said. 

“That’s all?” I said jokingly but Mark was serious. 

“Mia, you were in serious danger.” 

“I know, but I’m fine right now aren’t I?” I asked. 

Mark replied, “I guess.”

The days in the state-funded hospital were long but Mum stayed with me and supported me through it. Eventually, she told me what had happened and Coach came to visit me along with Sharon and my other friends. Everyone seemed extremely worried but I felt okay. Mum even told me that the doctor said I might have been paralyzed spine down after the accident if I hadn’t got as lucky as I did. I guess Dad was looking after me and helped me out at that moment otherwise…

We came home the next week and I slowly started recovering. My shoulder started healing and my head stopped throbbing as much. I began to move around alone again and although I wasn’t allowed to go outdoors, I pushed myself all around our little flat. But something was bothering me, something that hadn’t in a long time. Every time I thought about basketball I thought about my injury. “What if I go out to play and then I injure myself again?” Today, lots of people thought I was too paranoid about recovering from an injury but I had never experienced an injury before so it was more difficult and required a lot more determination, dedication, and willpower from me. Still, I was nervous and several times I contemplated whether I should return to the court. 

One day, as I was on my bed reading when Mum came in and sat down. She said, “I know you have been thinking about whether you should continue to play basketball.” I was slightly taken aback. How did she know? Then Mum continued, “Mia, after what you’ve been through it’s completely normal for you to feel apprehensive to return to the court but I want you to think very carefully about any decision you make, and then of course I’ll support you through it.” 

“I’m scared Mum, what if I fall again?” I asked. 

“Then I’ll just help you to get back up. I am here and always will be.,” she replied. And she added that she had never seen me so happy after Dad’s death and that kept her going when I was battling it out in the hospital.  Mum counseled me for a long time that day and everything she said to me would stay with me forever…

Two months after the day of the match, I reached for my basketball and wheeled myself to the court again. Coach Fenner was there and the minute he caught sight of me he ran over. “Mia, you’re back!” he said. “Ready to train again?” he asked. “Yes Sir,” I replied. That’s when I decided, no matter what happens I would play basketball.

Coach began by making me do my regular laps around the court when our basketball team entered and they all wheeled over to me. I was shocked to see them and we all hugged each other. Sharon asked, “Mia, you okay?” “Yes!” I replied with a smile. Coach explained that Sharon and all the other girls would be coming to class at Brookfield Court daily now and a proper wheelchair basketball course would begin. I was really happy. That class just before I was leaving Coach told me that because of my dream and my efforts, hundreds of girls would now have a chance to be basketball players. It was then that I decided that if I actually became successful I would want to help other girl’s dreams come true.

My regular routine was set back in place and I returned to the court, my court. Our whole team was there for every practice and every class I would see a few new faces. Wheelchair basketball was growing in Devon and that filled me with a sense of pride. Yesterday, Mum told me that I could go to school! For the last few days, she had been discussing this with my doctor and the school and finally, I was accepted into Windwills Academy. My first day of school  -ever- is next week and I guess I’ll just have to be content waiting till then. 

Each day began to take longer to pass than the last and Monday seemed like it was an eternity away! But eventually, Sunday night became Monday morning and my alarm clock rang at 6:00 AM. I am definitely not used to getting up this early but I guess I’m going to have to. I dressed up in my new uniform, ate breakfast, hugged Mum, and then headed with Mark down the alley to school.

I have to admit looking around at my new surroundings was unnerving but I knew I had to do this. My class teacher or homeroom teacher, Miss Clara met me in the hallway and tried to make me feel welcome with her beaming smile and excited gestures. I tried to look grateful but honestly, I just wanted to get to class as everyone was staring at me in the corridor. What with being in a wheelchair and enveloped in emotions by a teacher? Eventually, I did get to class and got through the day. I wish I could say my first day was a success but it feels like I’m lying to myself then. Don’t get me wrong, some people were really nice but then some weren’t. I was stared at a lot throughout the day and people went quiet as I approached. Actually, I had expected this but I didn’t think people would make it so obvious.

A few weeks into my first year of school, I met William and his lemmings. From early on, he had made it clear that he wanted nothing to do with me and I was okay with that but it seemed like he wasn’t. First, it was in the corridors when he opened locker doors to stop me from moving forward. He started pulling the chord on the back of my wheelchair to make the chair tip backward slightly, which scared me. 

But it went too far when one day I had had enough of everything going on and I went to the school basketball court. I was told by Mum not to play basketball in school because Coach wouldn’t be there but I had to. Basketballs were scattered around the court and I collected one to shoot. As the basketball went through the hoop my mind cleared and I felt better. I wanted to shoot again but as I turned I saw William and his gang. Great, just great. They grabbed the ball from my hands and tossed it away. They then began to push my wheelchair to each other with such force that the wheelchair shook and I was scared. I had never felt this way before but it got to me and my eyes filled with tears but I knew I had to put up with this on my own. “William,” I said while trying very hard for my voice not to falter. “Why are you doing this to me?” I asked. He didn’t respond but just grinned at his friends. He wasn’t trying to be mean. It was amusement to him and I understood. Surprisingly they let me wheel myself out of the court and as the bell rang I headed home. 

That night I realized that although I had pushed myself and accepted that although I was different I could play basketball, other people still saw me as an alien on the court and that I would have to deal with that fact for quite a while to come.

The hostile atmosphere that was created eventually cleared and I started making friends. Some people were still distant and I understood that it would take time for them to come around and I was willing to wait which I would have to do for a long time later in my life.

Years have passed, and now that I think about it a lot has happened in that time. After graduating from school I continued pursuing my dream of being a professional basketball player. I fell many times and once I injured my spine so severely, my doctor said I might never play again. That was a difficult year for my family and me but we got through it together just like we got through every joyous moment together. 

I had to have a surgery after the spinal injury and thanks to my selfless and amazing doctor my spine healed and I could return to the court. Things went slower than earlier after that but I continued playing matches and participating in tournaments with my team. 

One day I was offered a place on a Britain women’s basketball team. In the midst of my joyous celebration, I found out that I would have to move to England. I never thought it would be possible for me to move but yet again Mum came to my rescue. She found a small apartment in England and just like that we moved. Mark had gone on to become a doctor, a specialized spine surgeon at that and he began working at a big hospital in England. I started my first job in England on the team and I knew I had come a long way. Mum surprised us one day by telling us she had been offered a management job in one of the biggest production companies in England. We were so proud of her! After living in our flat for a month, I found a beautiful villa just like the one we used to live in with Dad and we could move in soon after.

 And that's how we, a small family living in the suburbs of Pennsylvania managed to settle down and do pretty well for ourselves in the big, wide world that we live in.

Even today when I finish yet another interview or lift up a  trophy with my team, I look back and realize that finally, I can stand upon my own two feet.