By Jason and Shanna Jones (Bella’s Parents)
There are some moments as parents that you know you will remember for the rest of your lives.
For us, watching our 17-year-old daughter Bella step onto the field at Battle on 66 for her first Highland Games was one of those moments.
Bella has Helsmoortel-Van der Aa syndrome, commonly known as ADNP Syndrome. There are only approximately 400 diagnosed individuals known worldwide. Bella was the 52nd person diagnosed in the world and the 8th diagnosed in the United States.
For most of her life, we’ve had to watch Bella do things differently. We’ve heard the predictions about what she might never do. We’ve learned to celebrate the milestones that others might take for granted.
But we have also learned something about our daughter:
Never underestimate Bella.
On August 8, 2026, Bella became the first known person with ADNP Syndrome to compete in a Highland Games.
And yes, we’re incredibly proud of that.
But getting there wasn’t easy.
There were rough moments during the competition. There were times when she became frustrated and overwhelmed. There were moments when we wondered if she would be able to push through.
Then Bella did what Bella does.
She kept going.
With encouragement from the people around her, she found her way through those difficult moments and finished the competition.
And when the results were announced, Bella had earned 3rd Place in the Junior Lassies Class.
But the placing wasn’t what brought tears to our eyes.
The moment that truly got us was when Bella was presented with the Flora MacDonald Award, recognizing her courage and determination as a founding competitor in the inaugural Adaptive Class at Battle on 66 in Kelleyville, Oklahoma.
For two parents who have spent 17 years watching our daughter fight through challenges most people will never understand, that recognition meant everything.
It wasn’t pity.
It wasn’t about what Bella couldn’t do.
It was about what she did.
She showed courage. She showed determination. And she stepped into a space where nobody with her diagnosis had ever stood before.
She also became part of something incredibly special: the Sisterhood of Highland Throwers.
Bella received her patch, and she absolutely loves it. The welcome she received from the Highland Games community reminded us of something we believe is incredibly important:
Belonging matters.
Bella doesn’t need the world to lower the bar for her.
She needs people willing to give her the opportunity to reach it.
We also want to recognize the people who made Bella’s first Games such a positive experience. Having a patient and kind judge who understood when she needed an extra moment made a tremendous difference. The encouragement from the athletes and everyone around the field helped Bella keep moving forward when things became difficult.
As parents, we know this won’t be the last time Bella surprises us.
And perhaps that’s the most beautiful part of this story.
Bella may be the first person with ADNP Syndrome to compete in a Highland Games.
But we hope she isn’t the last.
We hope someday another ADNP family sees a picture of Bella standing on that field and realizes that their child might have a place there too.
Maybe another young person will pick up a weight, walk onto a field, and hear someone say:
“Bella did this first.”
That would mean everything to us.
Because Bella didn’t simply compete at Battle on 66.
She opened a door.
And as her parents, we couldn’t be more proud to watch her walk through it.
Strong. Brave. Determined. Clan Gunn
That’s our Bella. 
