A Kentucky teen with a deadly illness came to the city to fulfill a lifelong dream: to climb the steps of the Statue of Liberty.
But Morgan Jones, who is also legally blind, was turned away — thanks to the government shutdown caused by Congress.
Now the 14-year-old will return home to Ashland Sunday without having stepped foot on Liberty Island. Her family says she may never get the chance to visit again.
“She’s heartbroken. Her whole dream was to climb up the 354 steps to the crown,” said her mother, April Keelin.
Jones was born with glutaric acidemia Type 2, a disease that impairs the body’s ability to break down fat and protein. She must eat every three hours or risk a brain hemorrhage. Only 50 people in the world are said to have the disease.
Her city trip was paid for by the Lexington Dream Factory, a charity that fulfills sick kids’ wishes.
Given the chance to go anywhere in the country, Morgan chose her favorite monument. Her journey was featured in Ashland’s Daily Independent newspaper.
But it was arranged long before the feds put Lady Liberty — and all other national parks — on lockdown Tuesday in the shutdown.
Keelin, a music teacher, said that they can’t afford to return and that Morgan may not ever be well enough to come back.
“We don’t know if we’d ever get back to do this for her again,” the mother said.
The shutdown, meanwhile, grinded into its fifth day Saturday.
The House unanimously voted to approve a bill to ensure 800,000 sidelined government employees get paid when the shutdown ends. And the Pentagon ordered about 400,000 furloughed workers back, citing the Pay Our Military Act.
President Obama said he expects Congress to reach an agreement to raise the nation’s $16.7 trillion borrowing limit in time to avert a default.
But it’ll all be too late for Morgan to meet Lady Liberty.
She has been enamored with the statue since third grade. Her parents signed her up with the Statue of Liberty Club, an international group that meets every two years in Manhattan.
Morgan joined this year’s pilgrimage with 29 other members. Some arrived earlier and got in their visit, but most were shut out.
One member traveled from France and two came from England for this year’s visit, honoring Lady Liberty’s 127th birthday.
“We are disgusted with the inaction of the government,” said Brian Snyder, the club’s VP who traveled from Fresno, Calif.