Success Stories

According to his adopted mother Denette, “Wild” Bill is an amazing 32-year old with a contagious smile. He’s been a cowboy at heart ever since he fell in love with “Marvel the Mustang” from Mattel toys.

But there was a time when Denette feared that Bill would not even live yet alone walk or ride a horse.

Bill was born a perfectly healthy baby boy.  When he came into Denette’s home four months later as a foster child, he was not expected to live.  Abuse had taken its toll on the baby who weighed a mere six pounds.  With loving care, Denette nursed Bill back to life, but she could not totally erase the Cerebral Palsy which resulted from his previous ill-treatment. 

Today, Bill is a California transplant who loves his new home in Colorado Springs. Even though he was sad to leave his eight-year job at Disneyland, Bill now works at Safeway and says he will never leave Colorado.  One thing that remains the same is that he is loved by co-workers and customers alike.

One of the highlights of Bill’s week is riding at Pikes Peak Therapeutic Riding Center. In fact, he has received so much from riding that he gives back by volunteering at PPTRC after his hippotherapy sessions are done.

What hippotherapy (therapy that uses the movement of the horse) has done for Bill is improved his balance and increased his endurance making it easier for him to walk and work longer.  It has also helped fulfill a life-long dream.