Challenged 10-year-old thrilled with her Camaro wheelchair

Emma Pietrafesa will lead Boynton’s Barrier Free event.

BOYNTON BEACH — Emma Pietrafesa couldn’t tell everyone how happy she was — a developmental disorder stops her from being able to speak — but the 10-yearold found a way to show her emotions Friday after the unveiling of her purple magic wheelchair and stroller designed like her late father’s favorite car.

The 10-year-old rapidly moved her left pointer back and forth to the crowd and gave out a yelp.

“I t h i n k s h e l i ke s i t , ” E mma’s mo t h e r, K a r e n Pietrafesa, said, after wiping tears from her face.

In the 2010 Camaro wheelchair, Emma will lead Boynton Beach’s annual Barrier Free 5K Run, Walk & Roll on Saturday. Boynton’s project manager, Kevin Ramsey, and city police officer Wilmer Rodriguez created the wheelchair to look like Emma’s father’s favorite car, a 2010 Camaro. Paul Pietrafesa, 48, died in November from pancreatic cancer. He worked for the Coral Springs Fire Department for 11 years.

“S h e k n o w s h e ’ s n o t around, but she looks for See Emma get her new wheelchair at him,” Karen Pietrafesa previously said. “She doesn’t have the concept of death.”

On the side of the car, Ramsey and Rodriguez wrote “Daddy loves you,” and the license plate reads “Emma.”

T h e r a c e a t C o n g r e s s Avenue Barrier Free Park benefits the park, which is designed with the needs of disabled children and adults in mind, such as Emma. Emma was born with Cornelia de Lange Syndrome, also known as CdLS.

Lori Wilkinson, who taught Emma for eight years at Royal Palm School, suggested the young girl be the race’s honorary starter.

I n a d d i t i o n t o r a i s i n g a wa r e n e s s a b o u t B o y n - ton’s park, Wilkinson said the event gives the Pietrafesa f a mily a c hance t o r a i s e awareness about pancreatic cancer and Emma’s disorder.

“We felt this was a family that could really use a little magic in their life,” said Wally Majors, the city’s director of parks and recreation.

For information and to register for the race, visit RAPB.COM/5K

MICHAEL ARES / THE PALM BEACH POST Emma Pietrafesa, a 10-year-old girl who has Cornelia de Lange Syndrome, was presented, along with her brother Anthony, 12, and her mother Karen, with a 2010 Camaro wheelchair/stroller on Friday.