Surprise for Sumaya: Dearborn special needs student receives key to her future
DEARBORN, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - Since the very beginning, CBS News Detroit has been following the inspiring story of Sumaya JumJum, a special needs student from Dearborn seeking her way to college.
Thanks to the Fordson High School community, JumJum finally received a life-changing gift that has her moving in the right direction.
READ: Dearborn student with special needs achieves her dream at graduation
This week, she was surprised with a wheelchair-accessible van outside her Dearborn home.
More than a dozen Fordson High School staff members, who helped raise more than $30,000, cheered her on. They were also joined by Ali Reda from Les Stanford and members from Creative Mobility Group, who helped pitch in and provide the van.
In tears and almost speechless, JumJum did the best she can to let everyone know how thankful she is.
"I'm so happy. I cannot believe seeing this is my car. I say thank you for everything," she said.
As for Eman Naura, who first brought up the idea of getting JumJum a van at the beginning of the year, all she can do is smile, knowing what her family at Fordson was able to accomplish.
"I'm ecstatic that we were finally able to give her the van that she deserved, and she can conquer the world now," Naura said.
JumJum plans to attend college in the fall. Until then, she says her first stop in her new ride is a family trip to her favorite spot, Starbucks.