Reel said Nelson speaking out has brought back a lot of “dark” memories when she didn’t know what the future would hold.
“But I want to say that feeling is not forever, it gets easier,” she said.
“You have to constantly check on her [Hollie], but when she does something you didn’t know was possible… it’s magic happening in front of your eyes.
“I’ll never forget when she brushed her hair for the first time. It was huge, we were told she might never be able to lift her head.
“It’s amazing, she’s thriving. She’s so strong. There really is light at the end of the tunnel,” Reel added.
Now, her mum said Hollie’s life is much like her friends.
“She’s in a mainstream school, she can talk, she plays, she sits and balances, she goes horse riding, does everything that a typical five-year-old does. She just can’t run around,” said her mum.
“She has a lot of fun. She’s just so happy all the time.”
You can listen to Ann Reel talking about her daughter and SMA on BBC Radio Ulster’s Good Morning Ulster programme on Tuesday.