After getting cut from her school's cheerleading team, a 13-year-old with Down syndrome continued to let her spirit shine from the sidelines.
In an Instagram video posted by her older sister, Emmie Tallent matched the squad’s every move while they performed inside a gymnasium at their school in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Her 22-year-old sister, Sydnee, praised the 7th grader’s ambition in the video’s caption.
“Girl didn’t make the cheer team, but she don’t care,” Sydnee wrote, adding, “I aspire to have an ounce of her confidence.”
Sydnee shared with People that she’s happily surprised by the video’s popularity online. She started posting videos of Emmie on Instagram and TikTok in November 2023, hoping to show the quality of life someone with Down syndrome can have.
One Instagram user looked optimistically ahead, writing, “She’s so good! Maybe next year will be her lucky year to cheer.”
“She SLAYS!! I hope she tries out again,” another encouraging comment read.
Looking beyond her sister’s diagnosis, Sydnee thinks the world can learn a lesson in self-esteem from Emmie’s determination to cheer.