HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Chelsea Laury has been dancing to keep her mind off things.
After her little sister's untimely death, Laury's mother says the aspiring east Texas dancer has used the ballet to cope.
Now the grieving family is getting an unexpected boost from an acclaimed star of the ballet, and it was all caught on camera.
Chelsea was moved to tears when she received a personal note and autograph from American Ballet Theatre principal dancer Misty Copeland.
Misty shared a heartfelt message of encouragement, pushing Chelsea to keep dancing even through the heartache.
Chelsea's mom recorded the emotional moment and says her daughter couldn't stop crying as she read Misty's supportive words over and over again.
The note read:
To Chelsea,
My thoughts are with you and your family right now in your time of sadness. Please continue to use dance to express your feelings to get you through this time.
Love, Misty
Misty Copeland is the first African-American woman to be named as principal female dancer at the prestigious American Ballet Theatre.
Mattel releases Misty Copeland Barbie doll