WHITINSVILLE, Mass.—If dancing is the best medicine, you won’t have to convince Gracie Stepanian otherwise.
The 6-year-old has battled a lingering illness since the day she was born. In and out of hospitals, pain, discomfort, and an influx of medical prescriptions have tormented the young girl.
In short, they have not worked any better than an Armenian dance with the Siroun Ensemble, based out of Sourp Asdvadzadzin Church in Whitinsville, pastored by her grandfather, Rev. Archpriest Aram Stepanian.
Once she slips into her costume, Gracie becomes revitalized, spinning and twirling to her heart’s content. Just being with the other children and sharing a role makes for one tiny miracle.
“Just look at the smile on her face when she dances and you’ll get an idea,” says her dad, Ara Stepanian, who was just ordained a deacon. “She’s fought through all of this and enjoys the spotlight when she’s performing. It’s worked wonders with her.”
Her instructor, Kristi Markarian, the founder and choreographer of Siroun, calls Gracie “a shining star” in the group.
“Her love for Armenian dancing shines through every step she takes,” says Markarian. “When she wasn’t with us for this year’s Whitinsville picnic due to medical complications, we all sensed a void. Her beautiful spirit and contagious smile were missing.”
Back she came a couple weeks later to make her presence felt at a North Andover picnic. The costumes worn on this day were imported from Armenia.
“Not only did Gracie dance, but she performed as if that little body never endured a thing,” Markarian adds. “She heard the music, saw her audience, and like any natural performer turned on her dancing shoes.”
So endearing that members of the ensemble embraced the young girl before her grandmother Yeretskin Margaret was able to give a hug, followed closely by her husband Aram. It was a proud moment etched in time.
The Siroun dancers are a group of girls ranging in age from 4-16 who perform throughout New England. Recently, during an ordination banquet in Rhode Island, oud virtuoso Johnny Berberian was entertaining the crowd of almost 300 with his instrument. While all fell silent to hear his music, Gracie decided to leave her seat and dance solo, never losing a step and moving like it was rehearsed. The audience that day received a double dose of pleasure.
“It’s moments like these that bring out joy and heart-pounding love,” says her dad. “We’re truly blessed.”
A dark pall fell over the family when Gracie was barely six months old. What followed was five-and-a-half years of tests, medication, procedures, and hospital visits, topped off with prayer—lots of prayer. The initial diagnosis was bladder reflex. It wasn’t until years later during an ultrasound that she was diagnosed with an inflamed kidney that needed repair. A “Da Vinci robot” was used for the procedure. What appeared all well and good took another turn for the worse.
“One of the greatest reliefs each time was her ability to bounce back and dance,” says her father. “It was like a light switch. We wouldn’t be in the parking lot yet and she’d be her joyous self, while we were heartbroken knowing it wasn’t over yet.”
Weeks after kidney surgery, back she came to dance again after being discharged from Children’s Hospital. Soon after, on came further tests when her situation became aggravated. More blood work. Urine tests, IV fluids—the works!
Parents Ara and Renee stayed at her bedside after being told how very sick their daughter was, and unsure about the cause, much less the solution. For eight days, they slept in the same hospital room where their daughter was confined.
“It’s hard to relive that week in the hospital because there was so much pain and anguish in our daughter’s life that Renee and I felt helpless,” says Ara. “Answers come slow, sometimes not at all. Right now, she’s in full recovery mode and her demeanor is that of a happy little girl.”
Gracie’s back to school and on the dance floor, ready to perform at the next call. Sometimes, it’s the other way around—a role reversal so to speak.
When Ara dons his deacon’s robe and his daughter is in church, she gets to see another side of her father.
“Gracie has a very special connection with God,” he says. “She loves seeing her daddy on God’s stage, just like I enjoy seeing her on the dancing stage. It’s done wonders for both of us.”
Tom Vartabedian
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Wow. What a spectacular story of faith, hope and determination. God’s speed and blessings to Gracie, her parents and grandparents.