The family of a three-year-old Calgary girl, who was born with a genetic disorder that fuses certain bones together, wants others to know her facial differences don’t define who she is.
The Hollywood film Wonder inspired Natalie Chung to come out of her comfortable bubble of protection and speak about her daughter Everly.
Everly was born with Apert syndrome.
Natalie hopes to educate kids and parents about how to treat people who don’t appear “typical.”
“It’s time for the world to know who she is,” Natalie says.
The Calgary mother wants to create a conversation about how to treat people with differences. She reminds people it’s OK to be curious and to ask questions. She also tells them not to make people with differences feel invisible.
“Most people feel uncomfortable and look in different directions and avoid us, but you don’t know how you leave me or my family,” Natalie said. “Just treat them with kindness and if you don’t know what to do… just smile.”
It’s taken Natalie her entire life to feel brave enough to share a painful but inspiring story. It didn’t come easily. She recalled the day Everly was born.
“All of a sudden, the baby comes out and the room goes quiet. They brought her to me and all I could see was her face — she was so beautiful, I waited for her for such a long time,” Chung says through tears.
“When you realize she’s yours, you hug her because I love her — I thought, ‘If I can’t fight for her, there’s nobody.'”
Natalie has made it her mission to learn from Everly’s strength and resilience.
“This kid is the most wonderful kid. She is the love of my life — I never thought I could love anybody like her and I wouldn’t change who she is.
“She’s amazing. She’s amazing.”