Girl Fulfills Bucket List Wish to See the Pope Before She Goes Blind

An Ohio girl with a rare genetic disease crossed one big wish off a bucket list she hopes to complete before she becomes blind and deaf. 

On Wednesday, Lizzy Myers and her family had special seats during an audience for Pope Francis at the Vatican.

The pope hugged the 5-year-old and placed his hands over her eyes.

Lizzy suffers from Usher's Syndrome, which will eventually take her hearing and sight.

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"He blessed Elizabeth's eyes," Lizzy's mom, Christine Myers, told reporters after the meeting. "He asked us to pray for him and said that he will be praying for us."

Lizzy, in turn, give the pope a piece of a meteorite "which is what started this whole process. He was very appreciative" Christine Myers said.

The family's whirlwind journey from Ohio to Rome began with a trip to their local observatory.

The trip was a part of the family's desire to have the child view exceptional things before she can no longer see. She picked up the space rock there.

A local reporter was also on hand that day and did a story about Lizzy's bucket list. Her story ended up being carried by The ssociated Press.

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And that's how the general manager of Turkish Airlines heard the story. He offered the family a free tickets to anywhere in the world. They chose Rome for its beauty and history.

And that's how Lizzy met the pope. "She just stared at him, she was big-eyed," her mother said. 

Meanwhile, Lizzy's family hopes for a miracle, her dad, Steve, told the AP.

"You know, I believe myself, and I think that what Pope Francis has done for her, if there is any chance for a miracle, it would be there," he said.

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