The Pony Prayer

In 2011 our youngest son Tristan was involved in an accident where he fell from a third-floor window of our house onto our concrete driveway. This accident resulted in a traumatic brain injury. He was in a coma in ICU for two weeks at Children’s Hospital in Dallas. He was moved to an in-patient rehab hospital named “Our Children’s House” in Dallas ultimately staying in there for two months. What follows is taken from a post my wife wrote to family and friends detailing his condition and progress after he’d been admitted.

Taken from Lucy’s update post in 2011: When we got to OCH we knew it was the right place for Tristan within the first 20 minutes. Let me tell you how we knew. We had just been placed in our room and the doctors, nurses, therapists, and staff were all coming in and out to meet Tristan. The Occupational Therapist was in the room and all of a sudden there was a knock at the door. One of the child life specialists opens the door and says “We have a dog and a pony here in the hall for about 5 more minutes. Do you think he’d like to see one of them?”

I said “A pony? He loves ponies!”

I had Sean grab the flip camera as they bring a Shetland pony named Spirit right next to Tristan in his bed. Spirit starts to nibble Tristan’s socks. It was adorable.

After Spirit leaves, the OT says “I can’t believe they had a pony. I’ve seen them bring in dogs but never a pony.”

Well, I thought it was awesome! It just couldn’t get any better, right? But wait . . . there’s more.

I took the flip camera home to show the kids. After Logan saw it he said, “Hey! That’s what I prayed for!”

I asked him what he was talking about.

He answered “When this whole predicament started, I prayed that he would pull through and get better and all that. Then I prayed he would get to see a real live pony with his own eyes.”

I admit I was a bit awestruck at first but then I said to him; “You see, that’s GOD’s way of letting you know He heard your prayer and that Tristan is in the place he needs to be to help him get better.”

It gives me chills to think about it. God is so good. He took time to answer a child’s prayer that his baby brother could see a pony; just one small pony.

One small pony was all it took to give Logan confirmation that God is listening to his prayers.

One small pony helped me remember that God is in control during what is arguably one of the scariest things our family has ever had to go through.

I pray that one small pony gives you confirmation that God is still at work through your prayers. No matter how great or small; God always hears the prayers of His children.

John 15:7 says “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.”

May God bless each of you for all the prayers you have offered up for Tristan.

– Love Lucy

Over the years we’ve been blessed to be able to stay in contact with Tristan’s original OT. A couple of years ago she shared with us that she has yet to see another therapy pony at Our Children’s House.

— Submitted by Sean & Lucy