“She can’t see the paper that is in front of her face! She needs help!” exclaimed my mom through the phone. My mom echoed this line many more times throughout the months that followed. Being curious, as always, I inquired as to who my mother was always pleading about. The response I repeatedly received was “a student”. This made me even more curious, but I knew not to pry. A few months later I finally learned who it was; Rachel, a girl I knew simply as any other regular student in my mom’s class. At that moment no one knew the severity of her loss of eye sight until the disease was uncovered and the sad truth was revealed.


Once upon a time, in a not so far away land the life of a princess was turned upside down. Princess Rachel’s life was reduced from a bright flame to a flickering spark. Out of nowhere the evil witch of Batten Disease cast a spell upon Rachel’s existence. This greatly changed her life, the lives of her parents, John and Kat, and her three siblings, Julie, London, and Boston. This disease had no signs of its coming intrusion and could not be prevented. The evil witch would invade her victims by destroying their eye sight, creating dementia, and eventually, taking their lives.

In hope of being cured from this disease Princess Rachel was taken to a castle in a land far, far away, known as Boston Children’s Hospital. This is where Rachel’s knights in shining amour were waiting to save her, but sadly their quest would not be completed. Here her family received some heart wrenching news; the disease was incurable. This news reduced the light of hope they had into an ember amidst the fallen rubble. The carefree life her loved ones once knew soon disappeared along with the hopes and dreams they had for their little princess.

Presently blind, Princess Rachel has never let the evil witch stand in her way. Her vibrant cheerful life she once knew has remained unchanged. Rachel remains the same perfect, positive princess she has always been. Rachel’s attitude and incredible smile is as infectious as happiness when a small child reads a fairy tale, much like the one Rachel that lives.

Rachel’s positive attitude influences not only myself, but she creates a spark of hope in everyone she meets and sometimes a flame emerges. She ignited this flame in me; Rachel’s story and my relationship with her have completely changed my outlook on life. I have learned that I can do anything and when I feel I cannot I think, if Rachel is able to live with this deadly disease and still maintain an uplifting attitude, then so can I. The change I have experienced from being close to Rachel has made me a more motivated, hardworking, and determined individual. These characteristics that I have improved upon are applied to everything I do whether it be academics, theater, mock trial, or volunteer services, and I will continue to apply these qualities to everything I go in the future.

Although Rachel’s life seems very dimly lit, you never know when a bright spark may come into sight. To many it seems that there could never be a happily ever after in her fairy tale, but in reality it remains unknown because the story has yet been completed. A life is still there to be lived, and a happily ever after could always appear even with the smallest glimmer of light. Maybe someday Rachel will be able to look back and see all the pages she has written for the inspirational story, that is her life.