[Nfbmo] Here is her story

[NJ Lynn]

Check this out. This kid is a real cutie-pie.

GRAND LAKE, LA (KPLC) - 

It is a dream come true for a Grand Lake teen with an unforgettable story of overcoming loss. Cierra Theriot, 15, has found light in a world that she cannot see, thanks to her love for music.

Cierra cannot see the notes she plays on her keyboard, but this teen does not let her blindness stop her from doing what she loves: Making music and singing on her own YouTube channel.

If blindness was Cierra's only hurdle, her story without sight would still be impressive. 

"If you look at my eyes, this side is normal size and this one is smaller," said Cierra, "this eye is really tiny. I don't think it grew when I was a baby."

Cierra and her twin sister, Courtney, were born three months premature, leaving both of them blind and Courtney with cerebral palsy. Their mother, Crystal said, "We were lucky really, because it could've been worse, so you have to be thankful for what they have."

For 15 years, these sisters shared a room and their love of music, until Courtney died suddenly just over one month ago. 

"She lost her best friend," said Crystal.

Even through this loss, Cierra said she still feels her twin sister's warmth, especially through music. 

"She's right here," said Cierra, "she's right here (pointing to her heart) and she's beside me."

In the midst of this tough time, Cierra got news she could hardly believe. She was asked to open a concert for country singer Mark Chesnutt, performing the song she wrote and recorded before losing her sister. 

"It was like whoa, I was very excited! I was screaming, jumping up and down, my heart was going really fast," she said.

The song, "Through My Eyes," tells Cierra's story of living as a teenager without sight.

When she debuted her song on YouTube, Cierra said she learned she, not just the song, is an inspiration. 

"I guess I am," she said, "God made me who I am and God made me an inspiration."

>From her bedroom performing studio to a crowd of country music fans, this young lady is ready to sing her heart out. 

"She knows Courtney is going to be there with her," said Crystal, "and she will be cheering her on."

"I'm so proud," said Cierra, "it is amazing what God has done with us."

Click here to listen to Cierra's song. Her classmate and two teachers at Grand Lake High School helped with it.

Cierra's performance went amazingly well in Baton Rouge on Monday night. It was part of a radio station's Hollywood Hal & Rhinestone Al All Star Concert for Kids with Special Needs. At the event, Cierra was surprised with a recording album by Nelson Blanchard, the same producer who handled Britney Spears' first album. She also got a $500 shopping spree for new clothes and a professional photography shoot.

Copyright KPLC 20