Mineola_Girl_Faces_Life_With_A_Smile___KETKnbc.com___The_News_Station.mp4

MINEOLA - We're all facing similar hardships right now- what to bring to Thanksgiving dinner, which presents we need to buy for Christmas, and of course, where will we get the money for all of that?

But, one little East Texas girl has faced much greater challenges her entire life.

She proves, it's not such a challenge when you face it with a smile.

Running is a passion some may not have expected from Ryanne Carr.

This six and a half year-old was born in Kazakhstan with no legs and one arm, but almost immediately, she had an abundance of love.

Katrina and Mike Carr first adopted Nikolas and Hayden from Kazakhstan.

They then met Ryanne via video, and they knew this was their daughter.

But, two other families thought the same thing.

Katrina Carr says, "They fell through because she was meant to be with us."

And she was "meant" to do some extraordinary things.

Ryanne's family got involved with the Challenged Athletes Foundation, where they found out she's quite the runner.

Katrina says, "She's won eleven gold medals. She's been running all over the country."

And it's due in large part to this foundation that she wants to do more.

Ryanne Carr says, "They've been helping me do the things that I want to do."

Now, what Ryanne "wants to do" goes beyond running.

It includes basketball, hand cycling, swimming, and giving back to kids like her little sister Rena, who was also born without one leg.

A super girl, like the one she admires, she wants to hand cycle across the country.

Ryanne says, "To raise money to help other people get better and help them do what they want to do."

Katrina says, "We don't have any doubt that if that's in her heart already, that she can do that and anything else she puts her mind to!"

In preparation, Ryanne practices.

Ryanne says, "I practice outside running, but my legs get very tired."

And answers questions from people who meet her.

Ryanne says, "I was born that way. And I say, can we get over this? And then we just try to be friends."

All the while- smiling.

Ryanne says, "Because I'm so happy!"

Where she goes from here, could be anywhere.

Katrina says, "There's just nothing she's not going to be able to accomplish."

But she knows, without her family's support, those aspirations and the legs that took her there maybe wouldn't be possible.

Ryanne says, "Thank you for taking me all the places I want to go."

If you would like more information on the foundation Ryanne is involved in, log on to http://www.challengedathletes.org/

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