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Viral photo from RNC captures hearts across the country

Posted at 5:44 PM, Jul 22, 2016
and last updated 2016-07-22 21:17:33-04
The dust has settled and clean up is in full force, but as Cleveland gets back to business as usual, the images of the Republican National Convention are still fresh in our minds; sights and sounds from the 4 days the city spent years preparing for.
 
Some of the most memorable moments took place outside convention headquarters and far from the floor.
 
Like the photo of two toddlers, blind to the politics and the protest demonstrations surrounding them, just playing in the fountain.
 
When one of NewsChannel 5's photographers snapped the photo, we didn't catch the little girls names, or connect with their families. Friday, Tara Molina managed to catch up with Aviella Shoaf's mom, Cassidi, on the phone.
 
The Shoaf family is from out of town. Cassidi Shoaf said they were visiting Cleveland during the RNC with the group "Hope is Here," to help keep the peace in Cleveland.
 
"Just bring joy to a place, where there was a lot of expectation for stress and drama," Shoaf said.
 
Shoaf said bringing joy and keeping the peace is something her almost two year old was the most successful in.
 
"It's something children naturally do. They live in a different environment. They see things from a different perspective," she said.
 
Reminding those in Public Square, and the thousands who've seen the photo, of one of the very most important lessons of all.
 
"She, so clearly, doesn't see people for their color. Their education. Or their background. She just sees people."