Dancing is a fun and free way to express ourselves. It is a way to channel our inner emotions and let out some stress. Most of us take our dancing skills (even bad ones) for granted, but there is one little girl who would give anything to be able to bust a move. When the LA firefighters found out about her illness, they decided to contribute to her cause in an epic way.
Finley Smallwood is a young girl who lives with her adoptive parents, Christina and Josh. These two love their little girl to death. They support her in every dream she has, even though she suffers from a crippling disability.
Finley was born prematurely and is a victim of cerebral palsy. She needs the aid of a walker to even stand – but this girl has much bigger goals. She wants to dance.
Finley first discovered her desire to dance while watching Ellen DeGeneres. When she saw the woman dancing on stage, she wanted more than anything to join in on the fun. Christina and Josh were determined to make it happen.
With a little creativity, they found a way to make this dream a reality for Finley. They started a “Dare to Dance” challenge with family and friends, hoping to raise money for a surgery that could help Finley put her walker down for good. Participants were to make a dancing video to Meghan Trainor’s “Better When I’m Dancing.” If someone opted out of making the video, they could donate $20 to Finley’s cause. Of course, dancers could donate, too.
The fundraiser was a huge success. The Smallwood’s message reached out to strangers everywhere, and it even grabbed the attention of the Los Angeles Fire Department. Inspired by Finley’s determination to overcome all obstacles, the LAFD put on a music video of their own – and it couldn’t have been more amazing.
The firefighters are seen grooving to the beat, whether they are working on the truck or just busting out some moves for the camera. One even threw in some slick “robot” moves while dressed up in his full protective equipment.
The video ends with all the firefighters dancing atop their truck. Finley and Christina even got to hop on board. You can tell from the huge smile stretching across Finley’s face that she was having a blast the entire time. This is one girl who never lets anything dampen her spirits.
These firefighters truly wanted to make an impact – and they did. With the LAFD’s help, the Smallwoods were able to raise enough money for Finley’s first surgery. She has many more to go, but physicians expect her to be walking by this time next year.
Thanks to the help of these courageous men, Finley will finally be able to dance. This sweet story shows how much you can accomplish when people come together for a common cause.
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