American Girl honors pandemic heroes by turning them into one-of-a-kind dolls

Expanding what girls see as possibilities. – SA.

O’Quinn said she has a message for young girls who may be inspired by her story: “We are just as strong as the men are. We can do this job just as well as everyone else. Don’t let anyone hold you back because you are a girl.”The paramedic is among five honorees, whose dolls are also featured on the American Girl website. The others are:

• Xavier: The 17-year-old grocery store worker was nominated by his sister for working five days a week at a grocery store during the pandemic. “He has asthma and he still risks it to help out,” his sister wrote in the submission.
• Pam: The teacher was nominated by her students. She visited each student’s house with a smile, an encouraging sign, and a bag of books.
• Sarah: The nurse assistant was nominated by her granddaughter for her dedication and patience as a caregiver and in feeding the homeless in her community. “I hope that when I grow up and become a surgeon, I will help people with the same love as she does,” her granddaughter wrote.
• Laurent: The pilot for Spirit Airlines was nominated by his daughter for volunteering to fly a team of American doctors to Haiti to help them fight Covid-19. He also did a return flight full of stranded US citizens. “I am so proud of him for stepping forward to help!” his daughter wrote.

“Whether you’re providing healthcare, keeping families stocked with food and supplies, or making sure cities keep running,” American Girl writes on its website, “we owe you a huge thanks.”

By Gabriel Kinder, CNN