FOLEY, Minn. — The COVID-19 pandemic has kept the dining room of the Foley McDonald's closed since St. Patrick's Day last year. But Wednesday, the franchise restaurant made a special exception.
That exception was 11-year-old Harley Walker.
"Harley loves McDonald's," said Melissa Walker, Harley's mom.
Walker said her daughter was born with low oxygen in utero, causing a traumatic brain injury.
"[She] has an official diagnosis of cerebral palsy," Walker said.
Walker said Harley is developmentally delayed, so she can't walk or talk.
"For her to be able to communicate is all I've ever wanted for her in life," Walker said.
That hope became reality in early January, when Harley's school began a trial run with the Tobii Dynavox. The device tracks Harley's eye movement, allowing her to select images on the screen and communicate what she wants. While she's been using the device at school, Wednesday was her first time using it in public. Maybe more notably, it was the first time her mom got to see her use it to communicate.
Harley ordered a chicken sandwich, fries, and orange soda.
"I just witnessed my daughter talk for the first time and order her own food," Walker said after watching Harley place her order. "Never in my life would I think she would have picked a chicken sandwich. I always order her cheeseburgers."
"To bring her in, like a normal eleven-year-old kid, and put her up at the counter, and have her order her own food, speaking for herself, communicating what she wants and not what I think she wants, that's the most amazing thing I've ever felt," Walker said. "[It's] my proudest moment as a parent."