In life, we meet someone, and we just connect.
For some, it’s because of the same interest, and for others, they share the same uniqueness.
Raegan Justesen, 8, was walking one day in her elementary school in Spokane, Washington, when she noticed one of the school teachers, Ms. Leah Kaplan.
She noticed that the reacher was waving at her using her left “nubbin.”
The little girl was surprised to see someone like her with a nubbin, but what exactly is a “nubbin”?
Nubbin, according to Medical News Today is:
“A small, raised lump of soft tissue containing no bones.”
Raegan didn’t expect someone with a unique limb disorder like her, let alone in the same school.
View this post on Instagram
“I’m happy to see her because I thought there was nobody else that had a nubbin at my school,” Raegan shared with “Good Morning America.”
It was a special moment for this student and teacher, who met each other unexpectedly.
“She saw that I had a little arm before I even got the chance to see her and she pulled out her little arm in the hallway and she literally was like, ‘(Gasp) Oh my gosh!’ and she’s like ‘Look!’” Teacher Kaplan smiled as she remembered the special moment.
Sometimes, no matter how emotionally strong you are, it helps to relate to someone with the same case as you.
For the 8-year-old girl, meeting Kaplan, who has the same case as her, was such a beautiful experience.
Raegan’s mother and grandmother are also working for the same school. Kaplan got to talk to Joni Justesen, Raegan’s mother, who shared what her daughter felt when she went home after their meeting.
Joni told Kaplan that when Reagan came home that evening, she was so excited. She couldn’t stop talking about how she saw a teacher with one arm, just like her.
View this post on Instagram
“I was like, well that makes me really happy and whenever I see her, I feel like a celebrity. She always makes a point of saying hi,” Kaplan said happily.
That wasn’t the last time the two beautiful girls met. Eventually, they became friends, and you could just see in Raegan’s eyes the admiration that she felt for the teacher.
Last February 10, Kaplan decided to post a photo of her and Raegan. She shared that they do the “nub wave,” when they see each other.
View this post on Instagram
The sweet teacher also shared that she gave Raegan an adaptive bike for her to discover her love of sports.
You see, Kaplan is not only a good teacher, but she also competes as a paratriathlete!
She shared that she aims to qualify for the 2024 Paralympics.
“I just thought, ‘You know what, I want her to get into sports when she gets older and I want her to have a mentor because they said she has never been in a community with people with disabilities,” Kaplan shared her wish to GMA.
Raegan has tried her bike, and she loves it.
She is beginning to explore more of the world each day. As for Teacher Kaplan, she’s always there for the second-grader, ready to guide her in her journey and be her friend.
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
