The halls of Lincoln Trail Elementary School in Elizabethtown ring with one name – Erin. Teachers, bus drivers, custodians and schoolmates of all ages greet her with happy shouts and high-fives. Walks to lunch become a parade of hellos.
This has always been Erin Rasmussen’s school experience. The fact that she was diagnosed with Osteogenesis Imperfecta, or brittle bone disease, has never been a hindrance. The disorder is characterized by extremely fragile bones, and Erin weighs a mere 25 pounds and is just 30 inches tall. She uses a motorized wheelchair.
Erin broke both of her legs in utero, and her left femur was broken when she was born. She was diagnosed with Type III Osteogenesis Imperfecta and has broken 12 bones since she was born.
“We weren’t sure of anything,” her father, Philip Rasmussen, 35, said. “It was very scary.”
Though only 7, Erin refuses to let her diagnosis define her abilities. She participates in school plays, including the upcoming production of “The Nutcracker.” She dances in gym class, including a recent lesson on the Virgina reel. Erin’s aide, Shelia Fonda, 45, wheels her to the music.
“Her attitude is almost overwhelming to you as a person. … Every day is a challenge in her life, but she never sees it that way,” said Lisa Jaggers, 43, Erin’s reading teacher. Erin uses a walker at home and during physical therapy at school, a rare accomplishment for someone with Type III.
“She should be in movies, she’s so dramatic,” Kara Reeder, 33, Phil’s girlfriend, said as Erin pretended to slide off the family’s overstuffed couch. Despite her flair for theatrics, Erin has never been upset about her condition.
“She does sometimes ask questions (about the disorder) but she never feels sorry for herself. … I’ve always encouraged her to just try things,” Phil said. ”I show her once and she does it.”
