Isabelle

I just have to share this story with you…

This is Isabelle. She is 9 years old and *loves* Annie. I first met her when she was 5 and waiting for a transplant. She looks amazing considering she has received a new liver, stomach, small intestine, pancreas, and kidney – don’t you think!?!

Isabelle was REALLY sick while awaiting her transplant and she was very jaundiced (yellow). More often than not she didn’t feel good and yet she was always trying to make people around her smile. The one way to cheer her up when she was down was to simply mention Annie. She would proudly show off her Annie earrings, necklace, or dress. She even wanted to go to New York to see where Annie lives. (Yes, more often than not I think she has believed Annie is real. Even last year, when she came with me to one of the basketball games she met Ali Besser and we told Izzie that Ali was Miss Hannigan for Kilbourne’s Annie production and Isabelle made a face and backed away from her. It was too funny.)

While waiting for her transplant the Broadway production of Annie traveled to Columbus and they allowed Isabelle and her sister, Madeline, to do a walk through during one of the shows and at the end of the night everyone – including the cast – turned and gave her a standing ovation. It was emotional especially because at that time I still was not sure if she would live long enough to receive her transplant. Fortunately, she did receive her gift of life – in fact, Izzie will celebrate her 3 year transplant anniversary at the end of next month.

Isabelle lives in Pittsburgh now and one of the area community theaters was auditioning for Annie so Izzie tried out and (thankfully) was cast as an orphan. This was an absolute dream come true for her because now she was *really* in Annie singing the songs and speaking her lines. Last night after school I drove over to Pittsburgh to see the play and she was ADORABLE! She did a great job and it was so moving to see her and to be present as her dreams were coming true and she was on stage performing in Annie.


It was a long day – I got home around 3 am – after hitting a deer while driving home (totally different story) but so worth it. I just wanted to share it with you all because it was so special to me. Please remember, that your dreams can come true and it is always worth holding on to them… Izzie is living proof!