11-year-old dreams of becoming a gymnast

Realising that her daughter has special abilities, Hermine Smith has made it her life's aim to give her what she wants.

Dejanique Bryan, who is 11 years old, said that she has been interested in being a gymnast from ever since she was able to understand it.

"I love to do it and I always watch it on TV when they do it. I even sit and watch YouTube videos. I google photos and do the moves that I see," Bryan said.

Smith told THE WEEKEND STAR that her daughter has been watching the videos and trying the moves from she was two years old.

She said that she was excited and scared at the same time when she found out that her daughter was interested in doing gymnastics.

"I feel so excited about it, but sometimes I'm scared to look at her because of how she look, when she does it. At first, I used to tell her to stop, but people tell me to leave her because she has double joints and I decided to let her be because I saw that she was really loving it," Smith said.

HER PASSION

Dejanique said that she enjoys doing the moves and wanted to teach other persons how to do them as well. But she would like to be professionally taught first.

She has demonstrated her passion and drive to do this because she made a call to Nishida's Gymnastics on Washington Boulevard in St Andrew and even found out what was the cost (approximately $17,000 per term) and how many times they would train.

"I didn't even know that she has done that. And this is why I am pushing to get her the help because she is a brilliant child. There are times when she would say: Mommy, I am going to become a gymnast and make you proud," said Smith.

Smith, who lives off Hagley Park Road, said that there are times when she has difficulty finding money to send Bryan to school.

But she has to try hard because she wants her daughter to achieve all her dreams, and so is seeking the public's help to make her daughter's dream a reality.

Persons wishing to assist Smith, may call her at 378-7985.