Naiya Harris

Naiya was born on July 2, 2007. She had three surgeries on her spinal cord, due to a tumor, which left her paraplegic at 4-days-old. At 10 months old, Naiya was put in a wheelchair for the first time, and she never looked back. She was a natural, who only needed one demonstration on how to use the chair. At the time, she was Childrens Hospital of Michigan’s youngest patient to have a wheelchair ordered.

At 10-years-old, Naiya had an allergic reaction to Ibuprofen, and spent four weeks in the hospital fighting for her life. But Naiya was a warrior and after losing 70% of her skin, she beat Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis.

Naiya was as nurturing as she was strong, with a maturity most adults would envy. She loved helping in any way she could, including helping her little brother, with his homework. She was also an amazing student, loved by all her teachers. Naiya planned on majoring in forensic science after high school.

Naiya and her older brother had an amazing bond and were more like best friends than siblings, even with an almost 5-year age difference. Naiya also had an older sister with whom she shared a father.

Naiya loved spending time with her mother and grandmother, and crocheting gifts for her loved ones. She had taught herself how to crochet the previous year, and quickly advanced.

Naiya was extremely independent and loved to cook. She was a natural and could remember a recipe after making it one time. She loved experimenting in the kitchen and trying new foods. As much as she loved to cook, she loved to eat. You knew she really loved you if she shared her food with you.

Naiya had been through so many battles in her life, but she always kept smiling. She had an infectious smile that lit up the entire room, with a soul to match. She was joy in its purest physical form. She was an inspiration to everyone who knew her. Words can never express how much she was, and will always be, loved and missed.