Walking down the hall of her residence building, Amanda Byrd’s mom motioned to her daughter to speak more quietly.
 
Amanda’s hearing aids had broken, and she could not hear herself speaking as loudly as she was.
 
Deflecting the gazes of those passing by, the Mississippi State freshman, who was born with cerebral palsy and whose hearing loss was confirmed when she was just 11 months old, entered her room with her loving caretaker of 20 years.
 
“It’s hard to communicate because of my throat; I can’t speak fast,” Amanda vocalized with help from her assistant. “I have to read lips because people don’t know sign language.”
 
Amanda learned sign language when she attended St. Joseph’s School for the Deaf in St. Louis from the age of 5 until she turned eight-and-a-half years old. She learned how to speak orally during her time there, as well.
 
When she was just a year old, Amanda got hearing aids, and then when she turned 5, she received her first cochlear implant. She had surgery to get another cochlear implant when she was 12 years old.
 
In addition to the hearing loss, Amanda has a developmental delay and one of her legs is shorter than the other.
 
Amanda’s mom, Donna Kaye Byrd, said Amanda has a difficult time reading lips of people she is not used to being around, but she does great with her family and has even drawn the family closer together.
 
“At times you feel like you’re apart because I feel like I’m the one working with her all the time, getting her to school, etc.,” Donna Kaye said. “But you just see where it gets you. She has gotten so far, and I don’t think she would have done it if we hadn’t been diligent as a family to talk to her and teach her and show her.”
 
Now living on her own, Amanda has learned to use skills she picked up in her time at home at MSU. She is a part of the Access Program, which is a program for students with special needs in which they can take classes and spend time with similar students.
 
The program also assigns an assistant to each student. Sophomore Victoria Kwasny, Amanda’s assistant, knew Amanda from their home town of Jackson, and said Amanda has learned to be more flexible since arriving at State.
 
“Amanda is very determined. She has a very structured personality, and she doesn’t like things out of the ordinary,” Kwasny said.  “She’s very patient because she watches so many people have to be patient with her because she is very slow often. She is learning to be more of a friend, including the give and take aspects.”
 
Staying active is key for Amanda. She prefers to be in a social environment rather than by herself.
 
In high school, Amanda was a basketball manager for one year and a member of the Interact Club, a community service club. She was also employed at Ability Works where she packaged boxes in a group setting.
 
When she arrived at MSU, Amanda joined the Sigma Phi Lambda Christian sorority. She was initiated last semester and received the Joyful Heart Award at initiation.
 
Amanda said she has enjoyed going to chapter and pledge meetings every week, as well as prayer nights and date parties.
 
“My family was proud of me for the award, and I was proud of me, too,” Amanda said as a big smile formed across her face. “Studying the Bible in my covenant group and my friends make me happy.”
 
Amanda also stays busy by taking horseback riding lessons once a week. She said one of her favorite things to do is ride horses, and her mom said horseback riding is very therapeutic for her.
 
“With the hip displasia and one leg being shorter than the other and out of alignment, when she’s on the horse somehow all that falls into place,” Donna Kaye said. “After she’s been riding and taking her lessons, she walks better. Its’ a good thing not to be afraid or scared, and it’s great to help with balance.”
 
Overcoming Amanda’s disabilities has not been easy for her or her family. Amanda’s determination has been the key to getting her where she is today and will continue to be the key as she pursues a career in either special education or art.
 
But with the help of her family and friends who love her, Amanda hopes to continue to overcome the odds and prove no hardship can stop her from living a life full of joy.
 
“I want people to help me because I need it, but I want to be treated like a normal person, too,” Amanda said.
 
Kwasny agreed and said oftentimes people to try “fix” those with disabilities instead of respecting them and accepting them as they are.
 
“I think a lot of times with those with disabilities, unfortunately, we see their disabilities first,” Kwasny said. “We see what they are going to be missing out on in life first, instead of starting from how much they can actually do and how much they can do on their own.”