Neglected in first years of life, girl opens heart to new family
Link to story in the Tennessean
It had been a year since police rescued her from a tiny, roach-infested room in Florida. She had survived her first seven years confined there by her birth mother, cut off from other human contact.
Damaged and badly delayed in her development, Dani drew national attention after a Pulitzer Prize-winning story in the St. Petersburg Times thrust her unique challenges and adoption onto the national stage. Everyone from Oprah to Anderson Cooper came calling. Those who heard her story were inspired to cry, to adopt and to take a more vigilant approach toward neglected children.
Link to original story in the St. Petersburg Times in 2008, where I first read about Dani and her amazing spirit and family.
An update story from Tampa Bay in August 2011
Dani’s family’s site DanisStory.org
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About The Author
Julia Roberts
Julia Roberts is founder of Support for Special Needs and has been a regular contributor since its inception in May 2010. A mom to two kids with special needs, she didn't want other parents to feel what is the often isolating world of raising a child (or two!) with disabilities. Her kids had kidney transplants at the age of eight and will need liver transplants in the future as a result of ARPKD/CHF. They both have vision disorders and learning disabilities.