tw: bulling, depression
[name_u]Keely[/name_u] [name_f]Athena[/name_f] Hempnall (15) is the younger sister of Leez. [name_u]Keely[/name_u] has cerebral palsy and has a limp. As she grows older she prefers to be in her wheelchair, since she joined a wheelchair racing team a town over.
[name_u]Keely[/name_u] grew up being bullied. When she was younger, she wanted to walk to be more like the other kids, but having a limp provided mean jokes for bullies in her class. Over the years she would change between her wheelchair and walking. When she was 11, a boy in her class made fun of her for having a limp and it sent [name_u]Keely[/name_u] off the edge. After Leez punched her bully, [name_u]Keely[/name_u] stopped going to school. She spent most of her time at home, stuck in a depression. Her friends tried to comfort her but she pushed them away. Her therapist asked [name_u]Keely[/name_u] to think about transfering schools. While [name_u]Keely[/name_u] knew that would be difficult, she wanted to. Her parents were hesitant but Leez supported [name_u]Keely[/name_u] and convinced their parents.
[name_u]Keely[/name_u] loves to wheelchair race. She joined a team “The Thunderbirds” in a town close to hers, and practices all the time. She loves all of the people on her team, and has some close friends. Her team has really saved her. Its nice to hang out with people like her, and she loves her coaches. At school, on the other hand, [name_u]Keely[/name_u] also has many friends. Her best friends are protective of her even though she laughs them off and calls them annoying. She also has a boyfriend who took her to homecoming. The two of them hang out all the time.
She has physical therapy often, practicing because her dream is to climb a mountain. She has always wanted to reach the top of a mountain and look out at the world around her, and she is going to do it someday. The prospect of reaching the top encourages her to practice and push her self. She also participates in lots of charity events, especially ones for cerebral palsy and the Wheelchair Foundation. When she’s 18, she’s planning to go to a developing country with a charity organization to give wheelchairs to people who need them. There’s a club at her organization for young kids with wheelchairs to learn about their abilities and meet other people like them. [name_u]Keely[/name_u] is an activity leader, helping out the younger kids and teaching them how to take care of themselves. One little girl she loves in particular always spends time by her side, and they spend a lot of time together. When she was younger she never thought she’d want to be associated with her disability and her wheelchair, but now she’s proud of it! Her plan for the future is to become a teacher, continue doing charity, and explore the world.