It was Monday, October 2, 1995. Tonia had gone into labor with who would be Kristina Salazar. This day wasn’t anywhere near her due date. She was only twenty six weeks along.Considering, she was nineteen weeks early, Tonia was worried. Any parent would be.

Doctors had said Kristina wouldn't make it. The family prayed, hoping for a miracle. They waited and waited to hear what happened. Kristina’s two brothers and sister were also waiting to see their new baby sister. Her father Leonard Salazar was in the delivery room with Tonia, awaiting their daughter. Then she was born.

She made it! Its a miracle. Kristina was born with Cerebral Palsy. Thankfully, it wasn’t so sever, fortunately she only got it in her legs. Despite her disability, Kristina was such a happy baby. Even with her Cerebral Palsy she learned to walk.

Two years later, I was born. Kristina and I bonded so easily. Our relationship grew closer and closer as we became older. We are still close now, every time we’re together we have a blast. She is so funny she always makes me laugh!

She has had many painful surgeries. These surgeries were to help her grow. They hurt her. Now, at age fifteen she chooses to stop. Since, she chooses to stop, she will not grow anymore. She has actually even shrunk an inch. I completely understand though, because I cant stand seeing her hurt. Every time she was in the hospital I would go visit her.

Because of her disability she can’t do certain things. Some of the things she can’t do are kneel, run, jump on a trampoline and go down steep steps alone. Though she can’t do these things, she’s still a person. I see the way some people look at her, they look as if there’s something wrong with her, but there’s not. She is the most nice, caring and fun person I've ever met. Sometimes i feel bad because i want to do something, and i ask her, for example, play soccer, she replies in a said tone. I make up for it by us having fun.

Now, she’s in ninth grade at Taft High School.From between kindergarten and eighth grade she was in a private school, Presentation. Being in a private school she knew and was friends with everyone. Now in high school, she knows no one. The school is three stories, with over three thousand kids. None of her friends continued to the same school. People look at her like she’s an animal or something but she’s not. No one even takes the time to try to talk, help or get to know her. The friends she does have are sophomores,which means she doesn’t see them much.

Throughout everything that she has been through, she kept her head up. With her disability she always manages to keep a smile on her face. She is one of the strongest, beautiful and most amazing people i know. She is my loving cousin, she is no different than us, she’s Kristina.