There is a very special person living in Maple Valley, 11-year-old Lindsey Muszkiewicz.

The young girl has been chosen as the 2009 Muscular Dystrophy Association’s Local Goodwill Ambassador.

Her mother, Lisa Muszkiewicz, said she always called her daughter “angel baby, and know we see her as an angel on earth.”

Lindsey Muszkiewicz has spinal muscular atrophy, type II/III and has been in a wheelchair since the age of 2, but don’t expect the disorder to slow this young girl down.

“I like to draw and ride horses and I swim on Thursdays,” Lindsey Muszkiewicz said. “I like chasing bugs, ladybugs and sometimes butterflies.”

Lisa Muszkiewicz said, “It is really important to focus on the now. If she wants to try something we do it. We took her sledding for the first time last year. She is very adventurous.”

While helping to raise awareness about muscular dystrophy and raise funds for the association, she been has adopted by the Maple Valley firefighters as an official firefighter.

“I have my own uniform and fire helmet,” Lindsey Muskiewicz said. “I got it in 2008 and I wore it to throw out the first pitch in the (Tacoma) Rainiers’ game.”

She also wore it to school on Sept. 11 to honor the firefighters who lost their lives Sept. 11, 2001.

“It’s been a real blessing,” Lisa Muskiewicz said. “They have made her feel so important. If the community could only see what they (the firefighters) have given back and do for Lindsey. I feel at peace knowing we have friends it the fire department.”

Lindsey Muszkiewicz has been the National Spokesperson for Canine Assistants and she has been on ads for Milk Bone. She has a canine assistant trained service dog, Wonder, a golden retriever.

“She turns on lights and picks up dropped objects and helps pick up around the house,” Lindsey Muszkiewicz said.

Next school season Lindsey Muszkiewicz will be in sixth grade at Tahoma Middle School.

When she graduates, she wants to be, “a zoo keeper. I love animals. All my toys are animals. I’ve never been fond of dolls.”

This amazing young girl has shown how to live life and she never lets muscular dystrophy or her wheel chair slow her down.

“I don’t let my chair get in the way,” she said. “You can’t let a pair of wheels get in the way.”

Mother and daughter promote awareness of Spinal Muscular Atrophy on their Web site www.curesma4lindsey.com.