Disney World is dubbed “the place where dreams come true” for so many reasons. No matter if you are a child or an adult, the magic this place brings to life is an experience one can never forget, not in a lifetime.
One special family experienced the beauty of this fairytale place where all the characters come to life in a very significant way.
The video, a part of Disney Parks’ “Unforgettable Stories” series, introduces us to Shaylee Mansfield and her family. Both her mom and dad are deaf and this cute girl is deaf too. When they were Shaylee’s age, her mom and dad didn’t have it easy. Luckily, they say things are a bit different now. The girl attends a school where everyone knows the sign language and Shaylee considers it her safe place. What’s most, she loves the school and has many friends. She’s loved, cared for, and understood, and that makes her very happy.
Outside home and school is a different story. The truth is that not many ordinary people know the sign language, so Shaylee has a hard time communicating with people and that makes her feel left out at times.
Like most children her age, Shaylee and her sister dreamed of visiting Disneyland, and their mom and dad made that dream come true. They, however, feared that Shaylee’s experience would not be complete because she wouldn’t be able to communicate with her heroes. Once there, they enjoyed the beautiful day, but the highlight of the trip was when the two sisters posed for a photo with Minnie Mouse.
Once the photo opt was done, Minnie left the family stunned. She turned to Shaylee and signed with her. It turned out she was learning the sign language in order to enable an exhilarating adventure for children like Shaylee. While it may seem like a tiny gesture, it can truly mean the world to feel included.
“It made her proud of her own language. She made that connection,” Shaylee’s dad said once he soaked up his daughter’s interaction.
I am sure the world felt a lot more hopeful for this girl that day! For more on the story and Shaylee’s precious smile go to the video below.
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