ST. LOUIS, Missouri — A Lynchburg student recently represented Tennessee on a national stage. Nora Parks, who plays in the Miracle League of Murfreesboro, was selected as one of only two players from the state to compete in the St. Louis All-Star Miracle League Game in September.

The three-day event began Friday at Bausch Stadium with a private meet-and-greet for the players. Later that evening, participants were introduced in a parade of players, where Nora rolled proudly onto the field, smiling and waving to the crowd. The Lynchburg Elementary student was born with spina bifida and uses crutches to walk.

Saturday featured the main event: Nora’s televised game. With her family watching from the stands, she took the field with both confidence and excitement.

“I feel famous,” she told her family after the game.

That evening, she joined her teammates for a celebratory gala.

The weekend wrapped up with sightseeing around St. Louis. Nora cruised down the Mississippi River to view the Gateway Arch and visited the zoo, where she delighted in seeing a polar bear dive into the water. When asked about her favorite moment, she pointed to that simple memory as the highlight of her trip.

The experience was made possible by the Miracle Field of Murfreesboro, which covered travel, meals, and accommodations for Nora, her mother, and her aunt Holly Crawford. Beyond providing adaptive sports, the organization works to empower children with special needs through inclusion, encouragement, and community support. For Nora, the trip was a chance to shine, and for her hometown, it was a reminder of the doors that open when every child is given the opportunity to be celebrated.

Nora is the daughter of Lori Crawford Parks and Timothy Parks of Lynchburg. She lives in the Ridgeville community with her parents and older sister, Lilly. •

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