HEATHER FELT MY STUMP & TOLD ME: YOU'RE RECOVERING SO WELL, LAURA
BRAVE Laura Range had an emotional meeting with her hero Heather Mills and said: "It's the best moment of my life."
And Heather had moving words of support for the 13- year-old who lost her left leg in a horror accident.
She gently touched her wound and said: "The surgeons have done a great job. You're recovering really well."
Laura fought back tears as she replied: "Thank you."
The youngster, whose leg was amputated after she fell under a train six weeks ago, met Heather for the first time after striking up a special friendship - revealed exclusively by The People last week.
Sir Paul McCartney's wife - who lost her own left leg in a road accident 10 years ago - invited the teenager to her London home.
Laura, who is still determined to become a dancer, said: "When I first set eyes on her I couldn't believe how beautiful she was - she's gorgeous.
"She told me all about how she lost her leg and then gave me advice on how to stay healthy and to keep my leg strong.
"Then we talked about my passion - dancing. Heather suddenly got up and did a little twirl followed by some dance moves. I was amazed. You couldn't tell she had a false leg at all -- she was so elegant and graceful."
Heather, 34, who is expecting a baby in October, then confided in Laura: "I love dancing - I'm always the last one off the dance floor. You and I are very similar."
But the closest moment came when Heather offered to show Laura her own stump by taking off her astonishingly-realistic artificial limb.
Then she asked to see Laura's leg. Laura, from Bootle on Merseyside, said: "I was a bit nervous. I don't like looking at it because I think it's ugly but Heather had shown me hers so I didn't feel so bad about showing her mine." Heather gently ran her fingers over it and said: "That's beautiful." At that point, tears stung Laura's eyes. "I'll never forget now that my leg is beautiful," she said.
"I won't be embarrassed or ashamed about it because Heather has made me feel confident. And just because I am different from other people it doesn't mean I am not as capable or beautiful as them.
"Heather also told me she wants to see me dance one day. Now I'm more determined than ever."
After the hour-long meeting Laura, her mum Karen, 47, and her brothers Lee, 20, and David, 25, enjoyed a fantastic day out in London courtesy of The People.
We put the family up in a top hotel, showed them the sights, then took them to the West End musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
Afterwards Laura said: "I've never seen a musical before so that was a brilliant experience. I wanted to be up there dancing on stage and one day I know that I will."
Heather told the People: "Laura is very courageous. I've promised that when I go up to Liverpool we'll go swimming together.
"I know that she will go on to inspire many other amputees, especially young girls."
Today The People launches an appeal to help buy Laura artificial limbs throughout her life. Please send cheques, made out to The Laura Range Appeal, to Laura's Appeal, The People, 1 Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5AP.
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