Calaveras Enterprise

Calaveras High School senior defies expectations




Morgan won Homecoming Princess her freshman year and Prom Queen her senior year. Courtesy photo/Tammie Smith

Morgan won Homecoming Princess her freshman year and Prom Queen her senior year. Courtesy photo/Tammie Smith

Barely bigger than a dollar bill and weighing just over one pound, Morgan Smith was not expected to get very far in life. Born at just shy of six months of gestation, Morgan was one of the youngest living newborns in the nation at the time and wouldn’t open her eyes for another three weeks, or take a breath without a ventilator. The tiny baby had a heart condition called patent ductus arteriosus, underwent her first surgery at just a week old, and would be incubated for her first six months of life.

With two shunts in her head to drain excess cerebral fluid from her brain, a lung injury due to overventilation, a feeding tube, multiple surgeries including the removal of over a third of her bowel, and blood transfusions, the infant’s prospects were not good.

Yet, Morgan’s determination to live shocked medical staff when the one-month-old newborn turned her head and opened her eyes — two things no one believed she was capable of, according to her mom, Tammie Smith. From then on, her medical team fought for her and her family turned to their faith to help Morgan pull through.

Barely bigger than a dollar bill and weighing just over one pound, Morgan Smith was not expected to get very far in life. Courtesy photo/Tammie Smith

Barely bigger than a dollar bill and weighing just over one pound, Morgan Smith was not expected to get very far in life. Courtesy photo/Tammie Smith

On Thursday, June 8, the now 19-year-old will do something else she wasn’t expected to do — graduate high school.

Morgan will cross the turf of the Calaveras High School football field and accept her diploma along with the rest of the graduating senior class.

Weighing just 75 pounds and living with multiple disabilities and ongoing medical problems, the legally blind young woman has beaten all the odds and then some.

Beloved in her community, Morgan has been nominated for kindness awards by her peers, received the Every Student Succeeding Award, Student of the Year and even won Homecoming Princess her freshman year and Prom Queen her senior year.

“I want to make sure the community knows how her senior class has really rallied around her with acceptance,” said Morgan’s mom. Despite learning disadvantages, Morgan was encouraged by school staff to attend “mainstream” classes so she could get to know her classmates, according to Smith.

Morgan was able to achieve her dream of being a cheerleader like her older sisters. Courtesy photo/Tammie Smith

Morgan was able to achieve her dream of being a cheerleader like her older sisters. Courtesy photo/Tammie Smith

“She’s always been surrounded with such love in the community and family that I just really want people to know what a great community we come from,” said Smith. Smith added that Morgan has never faced bullying from her peers and has made countless friends throughout her academic career.

Morgan, nicknamed “Mo,” is partly responsible for her warm reception among peers. The sociable girl dishes out big smiles, compliments, and “hellos” to other kids without restraint.

“Through everything over these years that she’s had to endure and go through, except when she’s tired, this little girl keeps a smile on her face and she’s positive and loving,” said Smith.

Known for her kindness and enthusiasm, it was only natural that Morgan would want to become a cheerleader, following in the steps of her three older sisters.

When Smith approached Calaveras High School Principal Amy Hasselwander about Morgan’s desire to join the cheer squad, the school came up with a plan to include Morgan, first letting her be an assistant to the coaches.

Courtesy photo/Tammie Smith Sociable Morgan dishes out big smiles, compliments, and “hellos” to other kids without restraint.

Courtesy photo/Tammie Smith Sociable Morgan dishes out big smiles, compliments, and “hellos” to other kids without restraint.

“And then that’s when the big moment came,” said Morgan, of when she found out she would finally be able to join the other cheerleaders on the field her senior year.

Morgan also started volunteering at a local preschool this school year where she reads to the children, despite being legally blind due to her extreme nearsightedness and the fact that she can only read using one eye at a time.

After completing a threeyear transition program, Morgan may decide to pursue a career working in early childhood education, Smith suggested. The transition program will teach Morgan life skills and prepare her for life beyond high school.

“Morgan has the ability to learn. She hasn’t maxed out her full potential,” said the girl’s mom.

Smith credits Morgan’s many classmates, doctors, teachers, administrators, paraeducators, and family and friends for helping her defy expectations and not only survive, but thrive.

“When you start out somebody’s life, not realizing day to day if they’re going to make it, and then you get to the point where — it just hit me in the face a couple weeks ago — she’s actually going to graduate. … All those medical doctors in the beginning never thought she’d make it that far.

“And finally one day they said to me, we’re not going to set boundaries anymore, because every time we tell you she’s not going to walk, she’s not going to talk, she can’t see — she does it. So she surpassed where they ever thought she’d go a long time ago,” said Smith.

Calaveras High School’s graduation ceremony will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 8.

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