This is the story of not one, but three angels showing up for a special young South Florida girl named Maci.
“Sometimes when you’re not looking for it, an angel shows up,” said Darin Jones, Maci’s adoptive father.
After surviving a brutal beating in 2017, a then-2-year-old Maci was left with severe brain injuries.
“Her head was bandaged and you could tell she didn’t know what happened,” Jones said.
“I couldn’t believe anybody could do that to a little kid,” he added. “I said, no one’s going to hurt this kid again.”
And no one has.
In 2018, Jones, a retired captain with the Indian River Sheriff’s Office, and his wife, Lisa, adopted Maci.
“We have the picture with the judge and everybody. It was a happy day,” said Jones.
Since then, the couple have surrounded their daughter with unconditional love, encouraging the now-tween’s passion for singing and dancing, while passing on their love for Miami Dolphins football.
In fact, it was after a weekend game last November when the family met angel number three: Gracie Williams.
“I really think it’s a Godsend that it happened that we met that night,” said Williams, Maci’s friend.
The Joneses got off at the wrong exit on the Turnpike and stopped at a Hooters in Pembroke Pines.
“The first thing that I saw when I came to Hooters was Maci,” Williams said.
Maci’s effervescent personality captured Gracie’s heart, and the two formed an immediate bond.
“We FaceTime every night,” Williams said.
“We went to the zoo, the circus,” Maci said.
Williams has also taken Maci to doctor’s appointments and hosted three fundraisers for a specialty $42,000 stand-up power wheelchair, a device Maci needs to strengthen her legs.
With that additional support, the Joneses surprised their daughter on Christmas Day — a gift that was as much for Maci as it was for her parents.
“We never expected what we got when we met Gracie. I don’t think she did either,” Jones said.
Three angels, three miracles for Maci — all examples that you can overcome evil with good, and with grace.
Of the $42,000 needed to buy the specialty wheelchair, Gracie raised $29,000.
But Maci says the friendship that followed is the bigger gift — one that is truly priceless.
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