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This month marks the10th anniversaryof thecar accidentthat changed model and makeup artistStephanie Aielloslife forever.
I just allow myself to feel it, she said.
I allow myself the time to grieve for my body because thats what it is.
Image credits:Emma McIntyre / Getty
I hated my therapist, she recalled.
But she saved my life.
I was a 20-year-old who thought her entire life was over, and she opened my eyes.
One day, the therapist, Claire, sat at Stephanies bedside with her makeup kit.
All right, lets do this, she said, opening the small cosmetics case.
Lets figure this out together.
She taught me how to open containers, use powder, and hold a brush.
Claire lit the fire in me again.
Sometimes I initiate the fridge and smell it, even if its not there, she laughed.
It brings me back to that difficult time in my life.
He forced me to stop.
I swear I wouldve kicked him with my little paralyzed legs if I could!
Stephanies brother sadly passed away overseas in September 2016.
When asked about the cause, the model simply stated that she didnt know.
After the procedure, I thought my core had recovered some function, but they were nothing but spasms.
For Aiello, the experience was traumatic enough that she lost her faith in research for many years.
There are a lot of scammers out there praying on the hopes of people like me.
Banks featured Stephanie as a special guest at a Las Vegas event.
She told me to make my hands, my brand, Aiello said.
Although shes aquadriplegic, Stephanie hasnt completely lost control of her arms.
She retains mobility in her wrists and fingers but lacks grip strength.
She teaches others how to achieve the same results on her Instagram and TikTok pages.
It was the first time I felt valued entirely for my talent and not for mydisability, she confessed.
Maren stopped in her tracks when she saw the poster of me, Aiello recalled.
It was a powerful moment, and meeting her was overwhelming in the best way.
This is what the world needs, Aiello said.
Seeing people like Maren and me in these spaces shows that dreams do come true.
