Gymnast Inspires Costume for Woman with Bell’s Palsy
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Pete Souza / The White House(NEW YORK) — A year after Olympic gymnast McKayla Maroney made her now iconic “not impressed” face on the podium after accepting her silver medal, the expression inspired a costume for a college student struggling with an illness.
College student Leslie Barrett posted on Maroney’s Facebook page that she was diagnosed with Bell’s Palsy two months ago, which has caused the right side of her face to be temporarily paralyzed. She can only express emotion on the left side of her face.
At a party, someone pointed out to her that her resting face looked like Maroney’s not impressed face, so she decided to work that into her Halloween costume and dress up like the Olympian.
“This has hands-down been the best costume I’ve ever had,” Barrett wrote. “It was the first time in months I got to look like I was intentionally making a face and it has helped me deal with the slow recovery a little better.”
The gymnast re-tweeted two stories and photos about Barrett.
It seems that McKayla Maroney is impressed.
Click here to see a side-by-side of Barrett and Maroney.
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