Meet the Teen Living a Real Life ’50 First Dates’ Story

North Carolina high schooler Caitlin Little is a real-life Lucy from Adam Sandler's 50 First Dates (2004).

Like Sandler's love interest in the film, Caitlin wakes up every morning thinking it's still the day of the incident that caused her memory loss. For Caitlin, it was a cross-country accident. Every morning she wakes up still angry at her brother for a little spat they had which is now 19 months ago.

Like the film, Caitlin has a diary that she keeps and reads every morning as a reminder of what happened in the accident, what happened the previous day or days, what's happening in her current life, what to expect for the next day, and a highlight of the day.

Her family has exhausted various medical routes. Some doctors have been woefully unhelpful, others provide some hope. A neurological chiropractor found a significant need for adjustments and a neurologist was finally able to see what was going on within her brain. At this time there is no cure or concrete plan. Caitlin has had multiple setbacks but the family still holds onto hope.

Caitlin tries to live as normal of a life as possible. When pain is manageable she participates in practice with her track team. She attends high school but because she doesn't remember learning most of the material when it comes to test time, she takes the tests open book. Caitlin even got to attend prom with her friend and track mate, Will, who would like to be more than friends. He texts her every morning and evening knowing full well she'll forget the progression of their relationship the next day. Per the suggestion of Caitlin's father, Will watched 50 First Dates and Will said that he felt like they downplayed the reality of the situation.

Unfortunately, for the Little family insurance doesn't cover a lot of the tests and treatments Caitlin needs so the family is consistently looking for help from the community. They do have a Go Fund Me page that you can donate to here.

Grab your tissues and hug your loved ones because you never know what could happen. WGHP Fox 8 did a 13-part series about Caitlin that you can watch below.