Badly Scarred Young Girl Receives Care After Mother's Selfless Sacrifice - Staff Picks

17-year-old Teeba Marlowe looks back on her biological mother’s selfless sacrifice to help save her life.

Teeba was just five years old when she was badly burned in Iraq. She ended up with severe second and third degree burns on her head and face and permanent hair loss. But when Barbara Marlowe, a resident of Cleveland, Ohio, saw Teeba’s picture in a newspaper article, everything changed.

As soon as Barbara saw the sad young girl, she felt compelled to reach out and help. Eventually, Barbara made contact with Teeba’s mom, who just wanted her daughter to have the best care and support possible.

Barbara adopted Teeba and brought her to the United States where she received 19 life-changing surgeries. Barbara said, “It was a giant leap of faith. She's releasing her daughter to someone she never met."

Ten years later, Teeba was reunited with her biological mom in an emotional meeting. This teenager is so thankful for both of her moms and their incredible sacrifices to help her lead a happy and healthy life. "Both my moms are moms. There's no fake mom, real mom. There's no birth mom, raising mom. It's just Mom and Mom."

This inspiring young girl will be off to college soon and she hopes that her story of overcoming the odds will be a message of hope to others. It’s truly a miracle from God that these women were placed in Teeba’s life and knew exactly what to do to care for this sweet young lady.