ODESSA, Texas —
If you really look past the struggles that come with cerebral palsy, you'll see it. A typical 14-year-old pulling a prank on her therapist.
"It honestly gets me every time,” said Permian Basin Rehab Center therapist Emily Abalos. “Because I'll be stretching her, or doing something with her, and all of a sudden there's a toy dropping off the mat and then she's cracking up. I mean, her laugh is just contagious. I can't be mad at her ever when she's laughing, because she just thinks it's hilarious and I love it."
Gaby Guajardo's mother, Abril Urias, says she's just like every other teen.
"She has her little attitude, and like that look right now she's giving me, rolling her eyes,” said Urias. “I think she's just like a regular teenager."
Even though Gaby can't speak, she has her own special way of communicating.
“She has vocalizations,” said Abalos. “So, she yells when she's having fun. She's loud when she's excited, laughing mostly.
It's Gaby's mischievous, fun spirit that led to a big surprise.
Gaby had hip surgery two years ago. She can't crawl or walk, but after only a few months of therapy at PBRC, she stood up by herself for the first time.
"In the moment, I think I was just so shocked that I was like, ‘oh my gosh, Gaby, you're standing,’ like ‘you're doing it,’" said Abalos.
Gaby's mom had no words.
"I think it honestly makes me want to tear up,” said Urias. “I've never seen her pick herself up like that. It's always me with my hands, you know, lifting her up."
Gaby is now walking with a gait trainer, and she's on the move.
"I mean, I can put the gait trainer in front of her, and she's ready to stand, she's ready to go,” said Abalos. “She's trying to move there before I'm ready for her to move there.”
With the goal to get Gaby to move on her own, small steps are big victories.
It's given her mom hope.
"It just makes me feel so good, because I feel like there's better things to come after this,” said Urias. “Like she's just going to get better and better.”
And it's a close bond with her therapist that's helping Gaby move forward.
“Her head used to never come up,” said Urias. “She was always like this, and I've always felt like she was uncomfortable and now her head goes, like it's staying up. She's getting those muscles working, and like her legs, like everything, I feel like it gives hope to those other families and myself that they can get better and do more things.”