The Woman Who Willed a Miracle

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The Woman Who Willed a Miracle (1983), is an ABC television after school special starring Cloris Leachman, M. Emmet Walsh, Leif Green and Rosemary Murphy.

Produced and directed by Sharron Miller and written by Arthur Heinemann, it tells the extraordinary true story of Leslie Lemke, a blind, mentally retarded boy with cerebral palsy who was raised from infancy by a foster mother who stubbornly refused to let him die. Because of her love and dedication, he not only survived but was discovered to be a musical savant.

The film won numerous awards, including Emmy Awards for Best Children's Programming, Best Director, Best Writer, and Outstanding Lead Actress. Sharron Miller also won the 1984 Directors Guild of America Award for it.