[title subtitle=”WORDS Dwain Hebda
IMAGES courtesy Kevin and Jenny Thompson”][/title]
Ella Thompson isn’t your average teenager. Your average teenager doesn’t have their own YouTube channel, their own blog, or their own website, let alone all three. The average teenager doesn’t get fan mail, praising her original videos posted to social media, or get interviewed for newspaper and magazine profiles.
Your average teenager also doesn’t have to cope with being different to the degree that Ella has learned to do, with grace. They may not have to work as hard to make friends or wear hearing aids or explain over and over what Down syndrome is and what it is not. And what it is not is something to hold back the precocious teenager with the mammoth personality from doing anything to which she sets her mind and considerable talents.
In a word, Ella is extra, in the best sense of the word.
“Find something you’re passionate about and others will see your passion,” she says to explain her life view.
Ever since elementary school, Ella has been making videos that capture some of her favorite things, videos she shares with the world through The Ella Life website and YouTube channel. The videos, sometimes featuring a friend from school, her brother Silas or other guest sidekicks, capture her doing some of the things she loves most, such as traveling and reading mail from her fans. But the main focus is cooking and here is where the teen really shines.
“I wanted my own YouTube channel and I love food and cooking food,” she says. “My mom’s cousin is a videographer and she had him film the first one for my tenth birthday present. That kicked off ‘The Ella Life.’
“The chocolate gravy and biscuits video is one of my favorites because it’s an old family recipe that my mom, grandma and great-grandmother made. I also love all the pasta-related videos.”
Ella’s mother, Jenny Thompson, helps with the production. She said the episodes get great feedback, including requests that Ella post more frequently which they would if there were more hours in the day.
“The most challenging part is finding time to record, edit and upload,” Jenny says. “Ella and I cook together several nights a week in the kitchen, and we brainstorm lots of ideas before bedtime. But the time it takes to film with two working parents and trying to keep up with all of the normal activities of day-to-day life prevent us from posting as often as we’d like.”
Anyone can construct a recipe, but it’s Ella’s own easygoing style in front of the camera that truly sets her cooking videos apart. Nothing is overly scripted, and her natural banter makes the watcher feel like they are a guest in the family kitchen.
“I like researching ideas on Pinterest and YouTube and then putting my own spin on it,” Ella says. “It makes me feel important and I can help others learn to cook, too.”
Besides getting some good grub out of the exercise, Jenny also said she’s received gratifying messages from audience members who consider Ella an inspiration for their own families.
“We’ve gotten feedback from several families about how much hope it gives them to watch Ella following her passion and how good she is at speaking in front of the camera while cooking,” she says. “Some have even said that they look at Ella as a role model for their own children. I hope other families with children with special needs walk away with a sense of hope, that their child can have a fulfilling life and make a positive impact in their community and beyond.”
Down syndrome is a genetic disorder caused by abnormal cell division that produces an extra full or partial copy of chromosome 21. The condition is the most common genetic disorder and cause of learning disabilities in children and can carry with it other medical maladies. Ella has weathered the challenges of her condition exceptionally well, but that hasn’t happened without some work. The videos, says her mom, help in that regard.
“Ella has a deep understanding about her Down syndrome and how it affects the way she looks, her height, her hearing loss, her struggles to find friends and be included,” she says. “She can sometimes feel sad about her circumstances. But when she posts new videos and shares her food and recipes with others, she gets a better sense of purpose and pride.
“She beams when people ask to come cook with her or try her food. It’s so encouraging for me to see her take her place in the spotlight and enjoy it, even if it’s for just a bit. She truly shines.”
Ella’s father Kevin, a pastor, blogger and author, often writes about the joys and challenges of having a daughter with Down syndrome. He said he’s gained a perspective on love he wouldn’t have found otherwise.
“We tend to define value based on production; the more one produces the more valuable they are,” he says. “Ella reminds us there is a base level of human dignity which simply comes from being human. In part, as she lives her life, she is reminding us how to live ours. As society learns to value people like her, we are actually learning to value ourselves as well.
“Yet, across the globe, Down syndrome is being eradicated not because we have found a cure,
but because prenatal testing is improving, and people are choosing to terminate the pregnancy. This is sad to me. While I understand people are afraid, what they fail to realize is they don’t always know what’s best. Having a child with special needs isn’t the easiest road, but it often is the most rewarding. Ella teaches me things that someone without special needs could never teach me.”
The family recently took on its latest adventure – a move to California and a new ministry position for Kevin – which carries its own challenges. Even though she’d often talked about being in California with other famous stars, having to start over making friends and leaving her old ones behind will take some getting used to. Fortunately, social media makes the world a much smaller place, where she’s always just a few mouse clicks away, spreading her message of good food and acceptance for all.
“I hope that people learn from my videos that people with Down syndrome matter and have value and they should care about them,” Ella said. “I think you have to surround yourself with positive people in life. I have a great support group who loves me and pushes me towards all my goals.”
Keep up with Ella at theellalife.com, Pinterest and YouTube
