A teen who had to put her modeling aspirations on hold after an accident left her paralyzed from the chest down has finally been able to fulfill her dream.
Mackenzie Clare, a 19-year-old redhead from Leesburg, Virginia, was on a date with her boyfriend when photographer Kerri Lane spotted her across the room and thought she’d be perfect for a mermaid photo shoot she was working on.
Only when she went to approach her did Mrs Lane notice that Mackenzie was in a wheelchair, and she instantly realized that photographing her would make for an especially powerful project.
Mrs Lane’s son Shawn spent hours designing Mackenzie’s mermaid tail, which had floating boards inside to help hold her up, and she enlisted a friend to act out her Prince Charming on the shoot.
Not only did the teen get to emulate Ariel from the Little Mermaid, but she also posed with a red rose like Belle from Beauty and the Beast, as well as channelling Sleeping Beauty in another shot.
Tragic accident: The redhead was just ten when a reckless driver slammed into her family’s car, resulting in a spinal cord injury that left her paralyzed from the chest down
