Remember Maggie, one of the HopeFoals at Flying Change who broke her leg last January? We covered Maggie’s story in the blogs Help Save Maggie! and Our Hero Maggie. As is often the case, a touching story like this can inspire our authors. Not long after reading about Maggie, Julia wrote the poem Hope Foal, which ultimately won first place in the Judge for Yourself competition.

Some of you have asked for an update about how Maggie is doing. I received the letter below from Lissa, Executive Director for Flying Change, and wanted to share it with you.

Dear Friends,

I apologize for the long delay in updating you. It has been difficult to know what to say about Maggie and how she was doing. I kept waiting for a grand finale - some moment when I could yell TA-DA! and declare her healed. But as often happens in life, healing is more subtle than that. So I am updating you now with the highs and lows in the unfolding of Maggie’s path - her continued healing and the growth for those of us who love her. There’s a lot to cover, so this update will come in two parts. This is the first; watch for Part II in the next few days.

Where We’ve Been…
I work in counseling, so much of my life is about understanding the stories that make up people’s lives. I love how masterful writers can show us a deeper truth about ourselves and the world we live in. In Greek mythology there is a plot device called “deus ex machina.” In the story, it often means that at the darkest time, in the eleventh hour when it seems certain that all is lost, out of nowhere a god appears and saves the day. On a personal level, I have always interpreted dues ex machina to mean that in our own lives when times are the darkest and we are pushed to our limits, the best version of ourselves shows up and we save the day. At the darkest hour, we often become the people we were meant to be.

On the day last January that Maggie went to the hospital and we faced the decision to euthanize her or try the surgery, I did not know how we could afford to give her the chance she deserved. To consider putting her down was more than my heart could bear but I could see no way to afford the help she needed so urgently. I asked our staff and kids what we should do, and they said, “Do the right thing, then ask for help, and have faith that everything will turn out okay in the end.” In my heart, I knew that they were right - this is what we ask our therapy kids to do, how we encourage them to live, so how could it not be right for me to apply to Maggie? So we stepped out on faith and asked for help, and then - like our own Greek myth - there was you.

It was a miracle. Support poured in from every direction. One hundred and forty two supporters, most of you strangers to us, gave to Maggie’s care. The best of human kind came forth; people from all over the country gave of their hearts for the benefit of Maggie and those who love her. Twenty-one states were represented - as far west as California, as far east as Georgia, north to Michigan and south to Florida and Texas. Donations came from individuals, businesses, corporate matching funds and family foundations. They came in checks, money orders, credit card payments online, envelopes with cash tucked inside - one little girl sent an envelope of $20 in coins. Some of you even gave multiple times. Senior citizens shared of their modest means and children donated their allowances. Even a loved-one of one of Maggie’s vet students gave a very generous gift. In all, $17,760 was raised in a little over a month. The money allowed us to pay for Maggie’s surgery, her months at the vet school and even some aftercare when she came home. I am humbled and touched, not to mention grateful, for how kind you all are. There are no words to describe how fortunate we feel that Maggie had all of you in her moment of need. When even our great love for her threatened not to be enough, you saved her. There were never any guarantees that she would heal, no matter how much money there was to treat her, but each time we received support we had the consolation of knowing that we could do everything we could so that Maggie could do what she could do.

And the help helped. Miraculously, the break in Maggie’s stifle is healed.

None of this would be possible without you. You were incredible. You sent get well cards, notes of encouragement, flowers, drawings of Maggie, photos of your own horses. You gave in support of Maggie’s healing. You gave in support of the children healing within our program. You gave in memoriam to family members and beloved horses. You gave as a tribute to Barbaro’s brave spirit. You shared Maggie’s story with your friends; you called news outlets that spread the word even further. You recommended veterinarians and remedies that might help her. You called and emailed her vets and encouraged them when she faced setbacks. You even visited her at the hospital.

In the process of all this, you became part of our family. You made what we do in Flying Change possible. You reinforced our hope and reminded us to have faith when we were tempted to despair. You gave us the emotional strength and the financial means to fight for Maggie. Well done, you. We are more grateful than words can say.

To continue the relationships we have developed and keep you posted on Maggie’s progress, we have created this e-newsletter. In the next few days I will send you Part II of this update to catch you up on what happened with Maggie in the hospital and where we go from here. I look forward to this new way of keeping connected. Keep an eye out for the next update and know how much we in Flying Change appreciate you.

Sincerely,

Lissa & Maggie
Lissa Corcoran
Executive Director
Flying Change Equine Therapy
(404) 512-0834
www.flyingchange.org

CLICK HERE for Maggie: A Symbol of Hope - Part II