Rachel Kiser
Blogger | Mom of Two

When we’re young, we aren’t quite familiar with the fact that our differences make us unique and beautiful. It normally isn’t until we’re a bit older that we realize we don’t want to be just like everyone else. We want to be special. To stand out.

7-year-old Gianessa Wride from Salem, Utah has learned this lesson much sooner than I ever did. For that, she is an excellent role model.

Earlier this year, Gianessa was diagnosed with alopecia, an autoimmune disorder that causes the body to mistakenly attack hair follicles. Her mother, Daniella Wride, who is a nurse, noticed back in January that Gianessa’s hair was falling out in clumps every time she took a brush to it. Soon after, this beautiful girl decided to shave it all off.

We’re certain that there have been tough times in her new journey with alopecia. Daniella was especially concerned with a special day that her daughter’s elementary school was hosting, called ‘Crazy Hair Day’, where students are invited to come up with the wackiest hairstyles they can find. She considered asking the school to drop the day completely, until she had a better idea.

At their local craft store, Daniella located all sorts of decorations to make Gianessa’s Crazy ‘Hair’ Day the best possible. Describing her daughter as someone who loves all things glittery, she determined to make being bald “fun and fashionable” for her. And boy, did she! The pair hunted down some amazing stick-on jewels in the scrapbooking aisle, and with the help of some glitter and paint, created a masterpiece on Gianessa’s head.

When she got a look in the mirror, Gianessa exclaimed, “Mom, this is awesome!”

Walking into her school with confidence, a swarm of students came up to her exclaiming how cool she looked. A number of them even discussed shaving their own heads so they could emulate Gianessa’s style, her mom shared. She ended up winning both her class-based and school-wide ‘Crazy Hair Day’ competitions, and an even greater accomplishment: had her school change the name of the day, formally, to ‘Crazy Head Day’.

As the months have passed, Gianessa has branched out to sporting accessories that flaunt both her winning personality and new look, such as ornate headdresses and fun scarves. What a stunning example of learning to play up our own, individual uniqueness.

“She is so brave and beautiful,” says Daniella. “The sheer determination and confidence rolls off in waves from this tiny girl. I just love her!”

We love her, too. Keep being you, Gianessa!

About Rachel Kiser

Rachel is a wife and mother living in Raleigh, North Carolina. She’s a fan of good coffee, wearer of gray t-shirts, and is constantly starting books she will never finish. Her family is her joy, and she loves to engage with other moms and dads on matters of parenting. Her blog posts have also been featured on the Today Show Parenting Blog and Scary Mommy.

View all posts by Rachel Kiser here.

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