Ophelia “Opie” Stuart, Beloved Student at JES, Needs the Community's Help in Battle with Rett Syndrome
By Jeff Toquinto on June 02, 2026
Johnson Elementary School Principal Heather Horne Holbert recently posted via social media about a GoFundMe set up aimed to help one of her students. And for anyone who goes to JES, they knew the name and their mind probably flashed to the child's smile.
The fundraiser is being set up for Ophelia “Opie” Stuart, who has been featured more than once here on Connect-Bridgeport. While those stories have been about her diagnosis and staring down Rett Syndrome, this one is a little different.
Before going there, a little bit about Rett Syndrome. It is a rare genetic disorder that affects brain development and robs girls of their ability to speak, move freely, and control their own bodies. As noted, it is almost exclusively diagnosed in girls.
Opie, a fifth grade student this coming August, is and 11-year-old with smile and personality defying what Rett Syndrome is doing to her. Now, however, a long-sought possible breakthrough for Rett Syndrome - Gene Therapy - is here. And Opie, according to family, has been selected as a participant in a pioneering clinical trial.
The treatment is not an overnight situation. Opie's parents, Sarah and Scott Stuart, will have a three-month relocation to North Carolina so their daughter can receive treatment. The goal of the GoFundMe is to ease the financial burden of being away.
You can click HERE to donate, as well as read more about the current situation. You can click HERE to read a blog about Ophelia in 2022.
Editor's Note: Photo shows Ophelia “Opie” Stuart with her ever-present smile.
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