ORLANDO, Fla. - Her name is part of Orlando Magic lore. Her voice is thunderous, echoing among nearly 19,000.
- Sang anthem in 2009 as a seven-year-old for the Magic
- Invited back for Games 3 and 4 this year
- Diagnosed with autism at age 2
And then, as Gina Marie Incandela reaches the climax of the national anthem, she raises her right arm in triumph.
“One time I sang it, and I just got so into it, and I was like, 'yeah, it’s awesome.' And my mom was like, 'that actually looked really nice.'”
If the name sounds familiar to you, it should. Ten years ago, she was the heart and soul of the City Beautiful, putting her pipes on display during the national anthem at the NBA Finals when the Magic were gunning for a title.
“As a seven-year-old, I was just like, 'lalalala,' singing, and now I was just like, 'oh my goodness this is awesome,'" she said before Sunday's Game 4. "And seeing all the people lined up and all the people standing up just shouting and cheering, it’s so cool.”
She had been invited to sing at the last two games, bringing her whole story full circle from when she was seven standing on the floor at Amway Arena.
“She had the really incredible experience of being able to share her story, and for people to kind of get to know what’s going on behind the scenes and what she had to overcome to get there," her mother Michelle said.
Gina Marie didn't have to just overcome singing in front of a big crowd. She was diagnosed with autism at 2, and the thought of singing on this kind of stage would have seemed unfathomable.
“We were at one point would have been just happy to hear her singing 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star' or for her to be verbal," her mother said. "For her to have come as far as she has is just beyond words.”
She's gone beyond words, into the music. She's had a chance to sing the anthem for Orlando City, at Dayton International Speedway, among other places. And with every performance, she hopes to prove something to the world.
“I want people to know no matter what obstacles get in the way, you can overcome them," Gina Marie said. "And that you should never give up on the dreams that you really want to do for the rest of your life.”