When Alex was 6 years old, a cancerous tumor took root near her lower spine. The child who loved to dance, who even now sometimes runs and dances in her sweetest dreams, would never walk again.There were surgeries. There were doses of radiation and sickening bouts of chemotherapy. Off and on, she was in the hospital for 14 months. There were mourning, loss, resolve, doubt, wonder. But never any tears. Then the task of learning to negotiate life, to establish a profile and an outlook, in a wheelchair."I remember being in the hospital," she says. "I remember losing my hair. I remember my teeth turning yellow. I remember having a bucket by my bed. I don't remember my exact thoughts then. But I do remember thinking, 'I am going to get through this.' "Indeed, Alex Stoffel didn't just survive her ordeal. She triumphed. So young, so genuine, she has become an example of poise, courage, inspiration. In many ways, she seems one of those angelic creatures sent from heaven to dispense light and grace.Her father, Richard Stoffel, 46, a Sacramento, Calif., native who works in property management, remains nonplussed by his remarkable daughter."Alex was a very shy, reticent child up until she turned 6," he recalls, rueful and amused. "We call it the chemo cure."Not recommended, for sure. Thinking more about his daughter, he says, "Alex is a very determined girl. She's very focused on what she wants. And she'll find a way to get it. People might look at her and see her in a wheelchair. She doesn't see herself that way. She thinks of herself as normal. She doesn't consider herself disabled. She is fearless."Then, with a laugh, he concedes, "Alex does what Alex wants to do. And it usually involves money."Annie DeSalernos is program manager for the city of Sacramento's Access Leisure, which provides recreational opportunities for children with challenges. She has seen lots of special kids in her day. Of Alex, she can only marvel: "She emanates joy."On a late afternoon, Alex swings open the door to her home in South Land Park. The house, which features blond hardwood floors and a level grade, is almost completely open inside. Alex zooms through the place as if it were a roller rink. Her parents are in the kitchen. The family's three golden retrievers -- Rio, Fiona, Schmooie -- romp excitedly outside.Alex is 14 years old. She has lively brown eyes, long brown hair streaked with highlights. She is wearing a gray pleated skirt, a red school vest, white ballet flats. She is very funny. She is thoughtful. She giggles a lot. There is an undeniable glow in her face.She is a freshman at St. Francis High School, the only girl in a wheelchair. Despite her nerve, that first day of school last fall was a rite of passage. She recalls fretting: "Who am I going to eat lunch with? Who am I going to talk to in class?" It didn't help that first day when she mistakenly wheeled into a classroom of seniors, only to reverse, sheepish, red-faced.But she's since recovered her aplomb. She has lots of friends. She likes her classes. And she went on her first date, to Jesuit High School's homecoming, with a boy who brought her a corsage. Her group went to dinner at the Olive Garden. Then, on the way to the dance, they made a pit stop at Dairy Queen.She plays tennis and golf, enjoys waterskiing. She boasts that she can jump the boat's wake on her chair ski. She has been horseback riding and has tried rock climbing. And she still loves to dance. Legend has it she's something of a karaoke star. Put a microphone in her hand and she's ready to perform.In other words, you're shameless?"That's exactly it!" she cries, pointing a finger as though you've discovered her deepest secret.In truth, she rarely thinks about her condition. Never questions her fate. Except to say: "I think it did help my life. It has made me who I am today. It really defines me. Through my experience, I think I have greater strength, stability. I didn't think I would ever be this independent. I'm happy being who I am."(E-mail Bob Sylva at bsylva(at)sacbee.com.)(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.)
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