"I couldn’t find out what she liked, she was scared and shy," said her mother Susan. "But she had an inner strength that was really incredible and beautiful."

In order to help her open up, they enrolled her in art classes with Patty Moore, who has been an art teacher for over an decade.

“Since the beginning I notice she had a lot of aptitude,” said Moore “She really truly loves to paint. She is committed.”

When the Lowensteins began fielding offers from people eager to buy Hannah’s work, they decided to put the art in a self-published book, which is also available at www.HannahHasAStory.com.

Hannah said she draws inspiration from her homeland, as well as her new home.

“Sometimes I decide what I want to do and sometimes I just make up something,” said Hannah.

Hannah has made strides in the last two years, and enjoys telling jokes that her dad teaches her and outings with her family.

“We watch movies, go in the pool, we go out on the boat. We go fishing, which I hate,” said Hannah.

The City of North Miami, where Jerry Lowenstein went to high school and which boasts a sizeable population of Haitian immigrants, declared June 26 “Hannah Lowenstein Day”.

The month before, Hannah had her own presentation to make: She gave $250 to the orphanage where she spent her early years.

The founder and director of the orphanage, Gladys Arbouet- Mecklembour, visited the Lowensteins at their Pompano home. Arbouet-Mecklembour came to South Florida for business and while here visited The Lowensteins and helped Susan style Hannah’s hair.

While the sum was relatively small, the orphanage appreciates her contributions. The Lowensteins not only surprised her with a check, but with a donation of furniture to take back to the orphanage.

“We didn’t know she was going to do that. It was incredible” said Arbouet- Mecklembourg, who said that she was inspired by Hannah to find the hidden talents in the other children at the orphanage — which now hosts an annual talent show.

“She was like all the other kids,” said Arbouet- Mecklembourg. “There was no way in the world we would know she would turn out to be an artist.”