13-year-old New York girl with cerebral palsy whizzes past expectations on the go-kart track
MOUNT KISCO, N.Y. -- A New York teenager with cerebral palsy is living proof that a disorder doesn't define you.
Cerebral palsy is one of the most common childhood disorders in the United States; around 10,000 babies are born each year with CP. The disorder affects the ability to move and maintain balance and posture.
CBS New York's Otis Livingston recently met a young lady who is not letting CP slow her down. In fact, with the help of her family and her school, she is whizzing past expectations, literally.
It may not seem like much, but the fact that 13-year-old Marni Graves could walk with Livingston on the campus of the Masters School, in Dobbs Ferry, is a miracle. That's because when she was younger her parents received some devastating news.
"We had some people they don't think she'll ever run or walk, and that's scary as a parent," father Scott Graves said.
The official diagnosis was Marni was 1 of the 18 million people in the world with cerebral palsy. It would be an uphill battle, but the Graves family was up to the challenge.
"My wife and I decided to prove everybody wrong, and we put her into dance class even though she was on the floor. We put her in swim class even though she sank. We put her in taekwondo even though she couldn't punch or kick," Scott Graves said.
"My dad ... is one of the biggest support people that I have. He was there when I was down. He was there helping me learn how to walk," Marni said.
"I got catcher's knee pads, like literally knee pads to protect my knees, and I used to walk on my knees up and down the streets of Brooklyn, holding her hips and teaching her the motion of walking because it was the only thing that we could do," Scott Graves said.
Marni feels right at home at the Masters School, where she is admired. She's the epitome of the school's mission statement, which includes being "a power for good in the world" and its motto "to do it with thy might."
"What Marni shows all of us is not to let any disability get in the way of leading a normal life. She lives it every day for us ... I think that's pretty extraordinary," said Laura Danforth, head of school at the Masters School.
"What's your message?" Livingston asked Marni.
"My message is always believe in yourself. There might be challenges throughout the way, but there's always ways to overcome it and be successful," Marni said.
That includes out on the go-kart track. That's right -- the girl who wasn't expected to walk or run is whizzing around the track up to 50 mph. Turns out, it's a beneficial form of exercise for CP.
"You have to kind of really go because, like, there's quick turns 'cause you're going super, super fast. It really helps my body for, like, quick movements, which is really good for me because it, like, triggers my brain," Marni said.
Marni's inspiration comes from another motorsports racer with the disorder. Nicolas Hamilton is the brother of seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton, and he races on the British Touring Car Championship driving a specially adapted car.
Marni makes it look easy, but according to her coach, Danny Stevens, it's not without its challenges because of Marni's physical limitation on her right side.
"Instead of pushing with the right arm for those left-hand turns, we're pulling with the left. She's come a long way with that because even with that technical disadvantage, I see no difference, really, with the other children," Stevens said.
"When you think your child might not walk or run, and then you see her racing around a track at 50 miles per hour, proves that the human spirit is incredible and if you put your mind to it, I think anything is possible," Scott Graves said.
"Maybe things might be hard along the way, but always believe in yourself and always think about how special you are," Marni said.
Marni is not only raising awareness for cerebral palsy, she's also raising funds for research and disability innovation. To date, she's raise $75,000 and her goal is to raise $500,000 before she graduates high school.
To help Marni reach her goals, click here.