When Kylee was born, she needed medical intervention just to survive. After countless tests, she was diagnosed with a rare genetic condition called 15q24 microdeletion syndrome. At the time, she was only the 19th documented case in the world—and the only one with her exact chromosomal deletion.
She was born with multiple birth defects that affected her muscles, brain, spine, diaphragm, heart, lungs, intestines, kidneys, and chest. Over the years, she’s had more than a dozen surgeries, including multiple operations on her diaphragm, brain, and spine. On top of all that, she was later diagnosed with primary and common variable immunodeficiency.
Some of her doctors didn’t think she’d ever walk, talk, or live independently. So when we first brought her to Heart of the Horse Therapy Ranch, we weren’t sure what to expect. At the time, she couldn’t bear weight on her legs, sit upright on a horse, or speak.
But then something incredible happened. After just a few sessions, Kylee started to bear weight on her legs—something years of physical therapy hadn’t been able to achieve. We were amazed. And then she started using her words while riding. We were stunned. A year later, she was walking independently.
Kylee still requires 24-hour care and can’t do most things on her own—but riding her horse at HOTH is one thing she can do without mom and dad. That means everything to her. And to us.
There were moments when she lost some of the skills she had worked so hard to gain. It was devastating. Many of her therapists gave up on her because she struggled to stay engaged and wasn’t making “enough progress.” We feared she’d lose her spot at HOTH too.
But then Carey Adams came to visit Kylee in the hospital. She looked at me and said, “We will never give up on Kylee.” And she meant it. They’ve stood by her every step of the way.
At Heart of the Horse, Kylee isn’t just learning how to ride—she’s gaining strength, independence, love, and dignity. She’s surrounded by people who believe in her even when the world tells her she’s not capable. This ranch gave us hope when we were running out of it.
Michelle C.: Kylee's Mom
