Maria, a Filipina kid with no arms and legs, does not let her disability stop her from living like a normal kid. She was only a baby when American couple Adrianne and Jason Steward adopted her.
At first, the couple admitted that they had no plans of adopting a kid but they changed their minds after seeing Maria in an orphanage in the Philippines.
“Maria was on this first email that we received. Once we saw her picture we just fell in love with her. She was so adorable and had the most amazing smile. We knew it would be a challenge raising a child born without limbs, but we also knew that with God’s help and being surrounding by such loving friends and family and an amazing community of support that we would be able to do it,” Adrianne shares their touching story to The Filipino Times.
Through the years, the couple faced some challenges in raising Maria because of her condition. But the child does not want them to put limits on her abilities.
Today, she continues to inspire others with her endearing smile and inspiring story.
“With Maria it is 10 times more rewarding and exciting because we understand how difficult it was for her to learn that skill and it always amazes us at what she is able to do that we didn’t expect her to be able to do,” Adrianne said.
Maria’s family has one message for her: “We want Maria to know that her disabilities do not define her. She was born exactly the way God intended her to be, and she is beautiful and perfect just the way she is. We will always love her and support her in anything she chooses to do in life.”
