February 11, 2009 4:18 PM
- Text
Monique Proves Size Isn't Everything
(CBS)
In the lower left-hand corner of an accounting class at North Carolina A&T University sits one of the country's most "non-traditional" students: a 21-year-old junior named Monique Johnson.
Monique is just two feet tall and change, but as Steve Hartman reports in "Assignment America," her dreams are gargantuan.
"When I have my heart set on something, then I'm going to do it," she says.
"She just kept saying 'I can do it,'" says Monique's mom, Angela. "And so she did it. Boy, did she do it."
To fully appreciate what Monique has done and what else she plans to do, you need a little background.
Monique was born with diastrophic dysplasia dwarfism. It's one of the rarest, tiniest forms of dwarfism. And yet it was the smallest of her problems. She also had scoliosis so bad that the doctors thought her spine would actually squash her lungs.
"Every time I go to the doctor they want me to yell," she said, "I guess to see if my lungs work."
But from the beginning, Monique had spirit. She ended up graduating from high school with a 4.0 average.
"And when they called her name, the whole school did a standing ovation for her," Angela says.
This could have easily been her crowning achievement. But Monique insisted on going to college.
When Monique first came to A&T, Angela had no idea how her daughter would survive. It's one thing to do the work, but it's another thing to load it into your backpack. And yet, she manages, thanks to the kindness of strangers and her own artistic abilities.
Her next goal is to attend law school. After that, she wants to become a judge.
Pretty much everyone who knows Monique says it's the perfect job for her - everyone but her mother.
"I said of all things, will her wheelchair even fit up there?"
"You're worrying about things you shouldn't worry about now," says Hartman.
But this mom says she can't help it.
Monique is just two feet tall and change, but as Steve Hartman reports in "Assignment America," her dreams are gargantuan.
"When I have my heart set on something, then I'm going to do it," she says.
"She just kept saying 'I can do it,'" says Monique's mom, Angela. "And so she did it. Boy, did she do it."
To fully appreciate what Monique has done and what else she plans to do, you need a little background.
Monique was born with diastrophic dysplasia dwarfism. It's one of the rarest, tiniest forms of dwarfism. And yet it was the smallest of her problems. She also had scoliosis so bad that the doctors thought her spine would actually squash her lungs.
"Every time I go to the doctor they want me to yell," she said, "I guess to see if my lungs work."
But from the beginning, Monique had spirit. She ended up graduating from high school with a 4.0 average.
"And when they called her name, the whole school did a standing ovation for her," Angela says.
This could have easily been her crowning achievement. But Monique insisted on going to college.
When Monique first came to A&T, Angela had no idea how her daughter would survive. It's one thing to do the work, but it's another thing to load it into your backpack. And yet, she manages, thanks to the kindness of strangers and her own artistic abilities.
Monique sells her paintings to help pay for a part-time aide.Click here to find out how you can help Monique Johnson.
Her next goal is to attend law school. After that, she wants to become a judge.
Pretty much everyone who knows Monique says it's the perfect job for her - everyone but her mother.
"I said of all things, will her wheelchair even fit up there?"
"You're worrying about things you shouldn't worry about now," says Hartman.
But this mom says she can't help it.
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