VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Imagine never missing a day of school — kindergarten through high school. A student at Princess Anne High School in Virginia Beach did it, and she is our Everyday Hero.
"It's really impressive — not even a mental-health day," said Kat Begley, a history teacher. "She's so involved; it's crazy to think she hasn't missed a single day, ever."
"She's always so positive and brings a fun energy to class," Begley added. "She has a resilient spirit and loves a challenge."
One of Emmie Furman's challenges is managing type 1 diabetes.
"With type 1 diabetes, you're constantly checking blood sugar and insulin," Emmie's mother said. "I was diagnosed at 7. She was diagnosed at 2."
From kindergarten at Thoroughgood Elementary through Princess Anne High School, the SCA school spirit leader has not missed a day of school.
"So you've never had a cold or the flu that made you miss school?" she was asked. "I mainly get sick over the summer — there's a week in July or August when I feel terrible," Emmie said.
She admits there were plenty of days when she didn't feel great, but her love of learning was stronger than her disease.
"By missing a day, you're missing opportunities. You're missing the lessons; you don't get the full experience," Emmie said.
Emmie's mother, a fellow Cox High School graduate, credits the Virginia Beach school system and Emmie's teachers.
"The teachers have never excluded her from anything," her mother said. "They never cut the frosting off her cake or told her she couldn't participate. She's just one of the group, and I think that makes all the difference."
It made a difference for Emmie. Her mother wrote to me about her success, and we wanted to recognize the Princess Anne Cavalier.
News 3 honored Emmie with an Everyday Hero award. Our community partner Southern Bank donated $300 plus an additional $125 to celebrate the bank's 125th anniversary, for a total of $425.
We hope this token of appreciation will help Emmie fly even higher as she enters the University of Mary Washington this fall.
"She motivates me. She blows me away every day," her mom said.
Emmie Furman and her teachers in the Virginia Beach school system are an inspiration to Hampton Roads.
