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COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS — It takes a village to raise a child, and Cottonwood Heights showed up on Saturday to support one extraordinary little girl.
"She's been such a blessing to our family. (You're) going to make me get emotional," Barbra Chubbuck told KSL.
The Chubbuck family is celebrating what makes 4-year-old Caroline Chubbuck unique.
"Well, it's kind of different than having regular siblings," said Millie Chubbuck, Caroline's sister. "She's always really happy. She's never ever grumpy, and she likes to snuggle you. It's fun!"
The Chubbuck family was touched by the large turnout for Caroline. And Caroline felt the love.
"That's what it's all about. The community support. You know, they showed up and are here to support her," said Cameron Chubbuck, Caroline's father. Caroline clapped in agreement. "She approves!" Caroline's mother McKelle Chubbuck, added.
Caroline was born with Mowat-Wilson Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that limits the ability to learn, causes seizures and affects facial features.
"All the things that you guys learned to do as babies, like walking and crawling and talking, those things are really hard for her to learn. But she is really happy, and she still loves being with friends and loves riding on the bike," said McKelle Chubbuck.
So, everyone in the neighborhood grabbed their bikes and helmets and lined up to raise awareness for Caroline's disorder.
"(Mowat-Wilson Syndrome) wasn't discovered until 1998 by two doctors, and a lot of people we are finding out don't get an answer until their kids are 4 or 10 or 20," said McKelle Chubbuck.
The family hopes they can help others get answers through fundraising and education since their situation is so rare.
"There are less than about a thousand people with it," McKelle Chubbuck said.
And Saturday's large parade shows that Caroline is more than just one in over a million, but the heart of this community.
"It's really, really amazing. And, you know, like I said, parenting is a journey, and you can't do it without a village," McKelle Chubbuck said.
The Chubbucks are donating all funds raised from the parade to the Mowat-Wilson Syndrome Foundation, where you can learn more about this rare condition.
