How an 8-year-old girl convinced Pres. Obama to visit Flint

FLINT, Mich. (WJBK) - President Barack Obama will visit Flint next week to see first hand what's being done to fix the city's lead water crisis. The president had been called on to visit the city for months but it was a young girl's letter that swayed the leader of the free world.

Every single person living in Flint is dealing with the water crisis in their own way. Of course, not everyone gets a chance to share their story with the President. That's where 8-year-old Mari Copeny, aka Little Miss Flint, comes in.

She, like everyone else in Flint, was looking for someone to listen. So she sat down with her mom to write the letter. 

"I thought that he wasn't going to respond back," Mari said.

She wrote the letter in March, and wrote that she was traveling to Washington, D.C. to watch Gov. Snyder's testimony in front of Congress. She said a visit from the President or The First Lady would really lift the spirits of those making the trip to Washington.

But he did. President Obama let her know that he plans to visit Flint on May 4th so he can see what they see. 

"Somebody poisoned the water...and I think Rick Snyder should fix the pipes," Mari said.

President Obama said he was proud of her for using her voice to speak out on behalf of the children of Flint.

"Kids are powerful and we've always told her to use her voice. And she's been speaking out and attending rallies and wants to make people know what's going on," her mom, Loui Brezzell said.

It's safe to say the President will be leaving with a lot to think about after his trip to the vehicle city.

You can read both letters below.