ALACHUA - A 10 year old from Alachua could soon find her artwork appearing on tissue boxes all over the country. Samantha Garcia spent most of December in the hospital with a life threatening infection. It started in her ear and eventually led to her face becoming partially paralyzed.

 

 

     While in the hospital she drew a colorful picture that caught the attention of her caregivers. They entered it in a design contest for White Cloud tissues. 

 

 

     Her mother, Christina del Valle, says Samantha always wanted to be famous and that maybe this is her chance. Samantha used to always tell her late grandfather about her yearning to be famous, and likes to think this is his way of making her wish come true.

 

 

     Anybody can vote on the White Cloud webpage. Samantha's drawing is currently in fourth place and if selected, Shands Hospital in Gainesville would receive 15-thousand dollars through the Children's Miracle Network. 

 

 

     Samantha has fully recovered from the infection and her face is no longer paralyzed.