The start of school Wednesday at Marcus Leadership Academy in the Dallas ISD didn't have the traditional bell. It had police sirens, police officers, princesses, and cheerleaders.
"She's coming," teacher and Make-A-Wish North Texas volunteer Cristina Vela told classmates. "Let's say it all together: Go Mia!"
Mia Aguilar arrived at school, greeted by a "royal guard" who placed a tiara on her head and gave her flowers. She was ushered into the school auditorium where classmates wore Mickey Mouse ears and waved Mickey Mouse cutouts and cheered.
"Because she is getting very healthy, as you can see, she's beautiful," Vela said.
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"We found out she had leukemia on May 20," Mia's mom Elizabeth Aguinaga said. "When you're in the hospital you feel almost alone."
That was two years ago. Mia is in remission from cancer now.
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"After two years of not knowing if things were going to be OK, just being sad, I think this is finally our next chapter in our book of life," Aguinaga said. "It feels magical."
Mia and her family are going to the Magic Kingdom of Disney World in June, thanks to Make-A-Wish North Texas.
"I thought they forgot about it, like my wish," Aguilar said. "But turns out, they remembered it!"
"My wish is that she enjoys every single moment with her family, forgetting about all the hardships they've been going through," Vela said.
Vela said Mia's classmates are learning about empathy and doing things for others without expecting anything in return.
Mia says she's learned a lot about herself in the last two years. "That I can do hard things," she said.
