The help of a horse

By Tori, age 12

The pandemic for me was a really hard time. Not long after Covid hit my family started noticing my aunt stumbling over her words and having a hard time talking. After more arguments than I can count, she finally went to the doctors. She went through tests and eventually found out she has ALS (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). This disease slowly turns off power to the nerves and muscles in your body. My aunt’s ALS started with her speech which meant that her life expectancy was shortened by 2-3 years. This news completely broke our family. If she had been diagnosed in a normal time it would have been much easier to visit and do things for the last time with her. To cope with the news of my aunt and the hardship of Covid, my parents got what I had been wishing for since I was three… a horse!

My horse Tony, helped me through so much during Covid.  I couldn’t have done it without him. After it all, I learned that even though life is hard I can always make it through with the help of my horse.