Young Philadelphia dancer who lost legs in train accident fights on

Gray Hall Image
Wednesday, August 9, 2017
Train accident survivor hopes to dance again
Train accident survivor hopes to dance again. Gray Hall reports during Action News at 5 p.m. on August 9, 2017.

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Twelve-year-old Sienna Ward is a fighter, just talk to her and it's evident.

Back in June, the unthinkable happened to Sienna, a young girl with big dreams of becoming a dancer.

She was walking along train tracks on Grays Avenue in Southwest Philadelphia when she somehow lost her balance and got caught under the train.

She was dragged about 500 feet.

Sadly, she lost both of her legs. She says she doesn't remember a lot about that day.

"Losing my legs, it's been moments when I feel like I am different, but it is life so you got to work with it," Sienna said.

RELATED: Girl, 11, struck by train in Southwest Philadelphia

Girl, 11, struck by train in Southwest Philadelphia. Annie McCormick reports during Action News at 11 p.m. on June 7, 2017.

Sienna, who loves to dance, admits she was devastated when she realized she lost her legs; some days are more difficult for her than others.

Sienna is now undergoing physical therapy at Shriners Hospital of Philadelphia and has a long road to recovery. She says the one thing that keeps her going is her dream to dance again.

"I miss it a lot, that was thing I liked to do most. Everything else I really didn't care about but dance," Sienna said.

Sienna's mother, Natasha Ward, will never forget the day she got the call about incident.

Originally, she got word that her baby girl had died. When she realized that was a mistake, nothing else mattered. Sienna was here and they would work through everything else together.

"Mentally, she has been like 'I am not going to be able to do anything' and I say 'you are going to be able to do everything you wanted to do. You are going to be able to dance.' She is like 'how?' I am showing her videos of a ballet dancer that is just like her," Natasha said.

The countless days of physical therapy will continue.

Sienna will use a wheelchair until her prosthetic legs are ready and then she will have to learn how to walk again.

Yes, it's a challenge, but one that she's confident she's ready to take on.

Everyone that comes into contact with her agrees; they say they can't wait to see her dance again.

"Some people, their goals are to walk again and her goals are much higher. I know she is going to get there," physical therapist Courtney Mullen said.

Sienna is expected to go home in a couple weeks.

A GoFundMe Page has been set up for Sienna.

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