MURRAY, Utah — It was a moment for Bree and her family they say they'll never forget.
Bree Cox, a senior at Murray High School, has been a member of their drill team all four years. Friday night, she was able to perform a special solo routine for all her fellow dancers at Utah Valley University for the 4A State Drill Team competition.
"It’s emotional!" Bree's mom Kecia told FOX 13 News just moments after watching her daughter dance in what she described as pure magic.
"I love dancing," Bree said after her performance.
And everybody who watched her dance can see it. Her mother says Bree has danced her whole life.
"Bree has danced since she could walk and that was always her way of expressing herself even when words couldn't express herself," she said.
Bree was born with Down syndrome and her mother says had a number of physical challenges to overcome.
"She had a harder time learning to walk, learning to talk, all the things."
But Kecia says Bree would never give up.
"She always believed in herself and she kept telling her sisters that she was gonna' be on the team one day."
Kyra Cox spoke to FOX 13 on Sunday about how proud she was of her sister's full circle moment.
"She’s always been the one that we danced for," she said.
Kyra says she was sort of the trailblazer, the oldest of seven children in her family. She and her sisters always danced together growing up, but in her freshman year in high school, she decided to try out for the drill team and made it. She was on it all four years.
"One year our coach Keyley said to give it all we had on the floor and to dedicate it to someone who maybe wasn't here anymore on who wouldn't be able to do this kind of thing and let them inspire you. I wrote Breezy on my wrist and have done it ever since."
"People don’t really include those with special needs the way we would hope to so being able to see them fit in as a typical regular person on that dance floor was, well, it’s hard to describe," Kyra said. "It’s a special proud and gratitude for the crowd and those on the drill team making that space for her — it’s something we just don’t see very often."
Bree told her dad she made the high school drill team — and the first person with Down syndrome to do it — in a video that went viral on social media. Her elation at the news is hard to miss.
Her mother thanked coaches and teachers for recognizing Bree's ability and not her disability.
Keylee Mundee was Murray High's drill coach for six years and met Bree when she had her two older sisters on the team.
"When I first saw her, she was little then and she just wouldn’t stop. She would dance for hours in front of everybody and just on her own."
Keylee said Bree still has some of those expressive signature moves.
"She always has these key movements that she always puts in there whether they’re choreographed or not, and we’re like: that’s Bree."
She says Bree was one of her most delightful dancers and her fellow teammates would agree.
"We can make space for these students and we can make time and we’re so grateful we can because it does make an impact more in our lives than it probably does in theirs, honestly."
Bree's coach and family encouraged everyone to continue to make space for those who may be different than the norm, and they're so grateful Bree was able to find her place and do something she loves and on such a big stage.
